Ecclesiastes 4:5-7
Ecclesiastes 4:5-8 The Message (MSG)
The fool sits back and takes it easy, His sloth is slow suicide. One handful of peaceful repose Is better than two fistfuls of worried work— More spitting into the wind. I turned my head and saw yet another wisp of smoke on its way to nothingness: a solitary person, completely alone—no children, no family, no friends—yet working obsessively late into the night, compulsively greedy for more and more, never bothering to ask, “Why am I working like a dog, never having any fun? And who cares?” More smoke. A bad business.
Ecclesiastes 4:5-7 King James Version (KJV)
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 4:5-7 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind. Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 4:5-7 New Century Version (NCV)
Some say it is foolish to fold your hands and do nothing, because you will starve to death. Maybe so, but I say it is better to be content with what little you have. Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more, and that is like chasing the wind. Again I saw something here on earth that was useless
Ecclesiastes 4:5-7 American Standard Version (ASV)
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind. Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 4:5-7 New International Version (NIV)
Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. Again I saw something meaningless under the sun
Ecclesiastes 4:5-7 New King James Version (NKJV)
The fool folds his hands And consumes his own flesh. Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind. Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun
Ecclesiastes 4:5-7 Amplified Bible (AMP)
The fool folds his hands [together] and consumes his own flesh [destroying himself by idleness and apathy]. One hand full of rest and patience is better than two fists full of labor and chasing after the wind. Then I looked again at vanity under the sun [in one of its peculiar forms].
Ecclesiastes 4:5-7 New Living Translation (NLT)
“Fools fold their idle hands, leading them to ruin.” And yet, “Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind.” I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun.