Ecclesiastes 4:9

Having someone work with you is better than being by yourself all the time. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

In Context

8There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work very hard, without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask themselves, “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.

10If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 4

Cross References

Exodus 4:14Then Yahweh became very angry with Moses/me. He said, “ What about your older brother Aaron, who is also a descendant of Levi? I know that he is a very good/eloquent speaker. He is actually on his way here right now, and he will be very happy to see you.

Ruth 2:12I hope/desire that Yahweh will repay you for what you have done. You have put yourself in the care of Yahweh, like a little bird puts itself under its mother’s wings [MET]. I desire that he will reward you very greatly.”

Proverbs 27:17We can use one iron tool to sharpen another iron tool; similarly [SIM], when one person shares what he is thinking, it can help other people to think more clearly.

Mark 6:7One day he summoned the twelve disciples, and then he told them that he was going to send them out two-by-two to teach people in various towns. He gave them power to expel evil spirits from people.

Acts 13:2While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul to serve me and to go and do the work that I have chosen them to do!”

1 Corinthians 12:18But the truth is that God has put all the parts of our bodies together exactly as he wanted to put them.

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 4:8-13

The Vanity of Human Wishes. 7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. 8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. 9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ecclesiastes 4:9