Глава 4

1. Sad phenomena in people's lives. 2–3. Harassment. 4–6. Envy and anxiety. 7–12. Loneliness and stinginess. 13–16. The fragility of human attachment. 17. Behavior of a God-fearing person. In the previous chapters, proving the vanity of human life, Ecclesiastes proceeded mainly from general principles. Now he confirms his thought on particular facts that make a person’s happiness unstable, temporary, and accidental. Eccl.4:1. And I turned and saw all kinds of oppression that are happening under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, but they had no comforter; and in the hand of those who oppress them is power, but they have no comforter. Eccl.4:2. And I blessed the dead, who died long ago, more than the living, who live to this day; Eccl.4:3. and more blessed than both of them is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. Violence and oppression of the strong and rich over the weak and poor permeated the entire society to such an extent and infected the entire social system that the morally sensitive and impressionable Ecclesiastes felt an aversion to life and considered the dead happier than the living, and even happier those who never existed or witnessed evil deeds on earth. Ecclesiastes, of course, does not elevate the superiority of non-existence over being into a principle, but, depressed by the contemplation of moral evil, pours out only his feelings of deep indignation and disgust, like Job (Job 3.10–13) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20.18). In another place, calmly reasoning, he says, on the contrary, that a living dog is better than a dead lion (Eccl. 9.4). Eccl.4:4. I also saw that every work and every success in business produces mutual envy between people. And this is vanity and languor of spirit! Eccl.4:5. A fool sits with folded hands and eats his own flesh. Eccl.4:6. Better is a handful with peace than handfuls with labor and vexation of spirit. Eccl.4:7. And I turned and saw still vanity under the sun; Eccl.4:8. a lonely person, and there is no other; he has neither a son nor a brother; but there is no end to all his labors, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. “For whom am I toiling and depriving my soul of good?” And this is vanity and an evil deed! Eccl.4:9. Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor: Eccl.4:10. for if one falls, the other will raise up his companion. But woe to one when he falls, and there is no other to lift him up. Eccl.4:11. Also, if two people are lying down, then they are warm; How can one keep warm alone? Eccl.4:12. And if one begins to overcome one, then two will stand against him: and the thread, twisted three times, will not soon break. Ecclesiastes notes a new feature in contemporary society that destroys human well-being, namely, the internal isolation of people, their moral disunity. The man is rich, but he is lonely; He has no “other,” that is, a sincere friend, no son, no brother. He does not know for whom he is working and deprives himself of benefits. Meanwhile, living together has many advantages, as it gives everyone moral and material support. Eccl.4:13. Better is a poor but intelligent young man than an old but foolish king who does not know how to take advice; Eccl.4:14. for he will come out of prison to reign, although he was born poor in his kingdom. Eccl.4:15. I saw all the living who walk under the sun with this other young man who would take his place. Eccl.4:16. There was no number for all the people who were before him, although those who came after them would not rejoice over them. And this is vanity and languor of spirit! Ecclesiastes cites an incident that proves the variability and impermanence of human happiness. A poor but intelligent young man takes the place of a foolish king who does not know how to take advice. Everyone goes over to the young man’s side, but, alas, the next generation will be cold and indifferent to him. “Better (tob) is a poor but intelligent young man.” The word tob should be understood in the sense of “happier.” But this happiness is short-lived. It is vanity and chasing the wind. Many commentators have seen in these verses an allusion to certain historical figures: some to Joseph, others to Saul and David, others to Jeroboam and Rehoboam, etc. But, most likely, Ecclesiastes had here in view of simply a possible case, in order to more clearly show the vicissitudes of human happiness. Eccl.4:17. Watch your feet when you go to the house of God, and be ready to listen rather than to sacrifice; for they do not think that they are doing anything wrong. Until now, Ecclesiastes has reasoned, introduced the reader to his observations and conclusions; now he turns to him with positive advice and admonitions in relation to the previously stated points. He describes in detail the mood of a person seeking happiness in good work and pure joys. Such a person must carefully monitor himself during worship, avoiding everything that could disturb the pious disposition of spirit, even conforming his external behavior to it. His piety should be expressed not so much in mechanical sacrifices without faith and repentance, but rather in reverent hearing and fulfillment of the word of God. “For they do not think that they are doing anything wrong.” Ecclesiastes speaks of his contemporaries, whose sacrifices, alien to faith and reverence, were “an abomination to the Lord” (cf. Proverbs 21.27). You might be interested in: