Ecclesiastes 4:5
The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.
Bible in Basic English
In The King James Version
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
In Context
6One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.
Cross References
Proverbs 6:9How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?
Proverbs 6:11Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man
Proverbs 12:27He who is slow in his work does not go in search of food; but the ready worker gets much wealth.
Proverbs 20:4The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.
Isaiah 9:20On the right a man was cutting off bits and was still in need; on the left a man took a meal but had not enough; no man had pity on his brother; every man was making a meal of the flesh of his neighbour.
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 4:5-7
The Prevalence of Oppression. 4 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. 5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. 6 Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. Here Solomon returns to the observation and consideration of the vanity and vexation of spirit that attend the business of this world, which he had spoken of before, ch. ii.… Read the whole commentary →