God’s Word Translation
Ecclesiastes 4:5
5A fool folds his hands and wastes away.
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 the person who hasn’t been born yet is better off than both of them. He hasn’t seen the evil that is done under the sun. 4Then I saw that all hard work and skillful effort come from rivalry. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind. A fool folds his hands and wastes away. 6One handful of peace and quiet is better than two handfuls of hard work and of trying to catch the wind. 7Next, I turned to look at something pointless under the sun:
Read all of Ecclesiastes 4Ecclesiastes 4:5 word by word
הַכְּסִיל֙ חֹבֵ֣ק אֶת־יָדָ֔יו וְאֹכֵ֖ל אֶת־בְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 4:5
- Proverbs 6:10“Just a little sleep, just a little slumber, just a little nap.”
- Proverbs 12:27A lazy hunter does not catch his prey, but a hard-working person becomes wealthy.
- Proverbs 13:4A lazy person craves food and there is none, but the appetite of hard-working people is satisfied.
- Proverbs 20:4A lazy person does not plow in the fall. He looks for something in the harvest but finds nothing.
- Proverbs 24:33“Just a little sleep, just a little slumber, just a little nap.”
- Job 13:14I am biting off more than I can chew and taking my life in my own hands.
- Proverbs 11:17A merciful person helps himself, but a cruel person hurts himself.
- Isaiah 9:20On the right, one gobbles up food and is still hungry. On the left, another eats and is never full. Each person eats the flesh from his own arm.
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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