Ecclesiastes 4:4-5
Ecclesiastes 4:4-5 The Message (MSG)
Then I observed all the work and ambition motivated by envy. What a waste! Smoke. And spitting into the wind. The fool sits back and takes it easy, His sloth is slow suicide.
Ecclesiastes 4:4-5 King James Version (KJV)
Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Ecclesiastes 4:4-5 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind. The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
Ecclesiastes 4:4-5 New Century Version (NCV)
I realized the reason people work hard and try to succeed: They are jealous of each other. This, too, is useless, like chasing the wind. Some say it is foolish to fold your hands and do nothing, because you will starve to death.
Ecclesiastes 4:4-5 American Standard Version (ASV)
Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Ecclesiastes 4:4-5 New International Version (NIV)
And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.
Ecclesiastes 4:4-5 New King James Version (NKJV)
Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. The fool folds his hands And consumes his own flesh.
Ecclesiastes 4:4-5 Amplified Bible (AMP)
I have seen that every [effort in] labor and every skill in work comes from man’s rivalry with his neighbor. This too is vanity (futility, false pride) and chasing after the wind. The fool folds his hands [together] and consumes his own flesh [destroying himself by idleness and apathy].