Ecclesiastes 4:5

Ecclesiastes 4:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
• New International Version (NIV)Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The fool folds his hands And consumes his own flesh.

Context of Ecclesiastes 4:5

3But people who have not yet been born are even happier! They have not seen the evil things that happen on the earth. 4I also thought about the clever work that people do. I saw that people work hard because they are jealous of each other. They want to do better than other people. I realized that this has no purpose. It is like somebody who tries to catch the wind. Foolish people refuse to work. They sit and they do nothing. So they become hungry and they die. 6It is good to have only a little food and be happy. That is better than too much hard work that gives you a lot of food. It is as useless as somebody who tries to catch the wind. 7I thought about something else on the earth that has no purpose.

Ecclesiastes 4:5 word by word

הַכְּסִיל֙ חֹבֵ֣ק אֶת־יָדָ֔יו וְאֹכֵ֖ל אֶת־בְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The foolכְּסִילkesîyl · foolH3684
• foldethחָבַקchâbaq · to embraceH2263
• his handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• and eatethאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• his own fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 4:5

• Proverbs 6:10You say, ‘I will have a short sleep. I will rest quietly for a while.’
• Proverbs 12:27A lazy person does not cook the animals that he has caught. But if you work hard, you will enjoy many valuable things.
• Proverbs 13:4A lazy person always wants to have more, but he will not get it. If a person works hard, he will have more than he needs.
• Proverbs 20:4A lazy farmer does not plough his fields in winter. As a result, he has nothing to eat when harvest time arrives.
• Proverbs 24:33You may say, ‘I will have a short sleep. I will rest quietly for a while.’
• Job 13:14I am ready for my life to be in danger. I must take that risk.
• Proverbs 11:17A faithful person helps himself with good things, but a cruel person brings trouble on himself.
• Isaiah 9:20People eat whatever food they can get, on their right side or their left side. But they are still hungry. They even eat their own family!

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 4:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5The fool foldeth his hands - After all, without labor and industry no man can get any comfort in life; and he who gives way to idleness is the veriest of fools.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Foldeth his hands - The envious man is here exhibited in the attitude of the sluggard (marginal references). Eateth his own flesh - i. e., “Destroys himself:” compare a similar expression in Isaiah 49:26; Psalm 27:2; Micah 3:3.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-6Verses 4-6 Solomon notices the sources of trouble peculiar to well-doers, and includes all who labour with diligence, and whose efforts are crowned with success. They often become great and prosperous, but this excites envy and opposition. Others, seeing the vexations of an active course, foolishly expect more satisfaction in sloth and idleness. But idleness is a sin that is its own punishment. Let us by honest industry lay hold on the handful, that we…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-6Fools do not try to succeed and end up poor. Others work frantically, using all their time and effort, to chase temporary wealth they will not have time to enjoy (compare Proverbs 23:4–5). Wise people practice moderation and contentment (tranquility).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Still the fool (the wicked oppressor) is not to be envied even in this life, who "folds his hands together" in idleness (Pr 6:10; 24:33), living on the means he wrongfully wrests from others; for such a one eateth his own flesh--that is, is a self-tormentor, never satisfied, his spirit preying on itself (Is 9:20; 49:26).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 4:5

• Fool
• Idleness

In the dictionaries

• Prison
• Threefold
• Fold; Folding
• Fool; Folly
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings