Main news for 12 November 2024

Labor on earth is also vanity; it not only brings no joy, but is oppression, and success in affairs increases envy and enmity among people. All this is also meaningless, but for some reason Ecclesiastes does not want to confine himself in his reasoning to such conclusions, and he begins to reflect on two people for whom it is better than for one. And although a little later we again hear sorrowful sighs that everything is still vanity and vexation of spirit, it is impossible to get rid of the impression that Ecclesiastes is looking for something to hold on to, something that could refute him.

And indeed, he returns to the familiar refrain only after his thoughts have moved on to another subject of reflection. As for the discussion of two people supporting and warming one another, or of the strength of a threefold cord, Ecclesiastes sets nothing against it. Apparently, he does not want to...