On Aloneness and Companionship

⁷ Then I turned to re-examine something else that is pointless on earth: ⁸ Consider someone who is alone, having neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his work, and he is^[a] never satisfied with wealth. “So for whom do I work,” he asks,^[b] “and deprive myself of pleasure?” This, too, is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. ¹⁰ If they stumble, the first will lift up his friend—but woe to anyone who is alone when he falls and there is no one to help him get up. ¹¹ Again, if two lie close together, they will keep warm, but how can only one stay warm? ¹² If someone attacks one of them, the two of them together will resist. Furthermore, the tri-braided cord is not soon broken.