Ecclesiastes 4:5
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh, saying:
Douay-Rheims 1899
In The King James Version
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
In Context
6Better is a handful with rest, than both hands full with labour, and vexation of mind.
Cross References
Proverbs 6:9How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep?
Proverbs 6:11And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.
Proverbs 12:27The deceitful man shall not find gain: but the substance of a just man shall be precious gold.
Proverbs 20:4Because of the cold the sluggard would not plough: he shall beg therefore in the summer, and it shall not be given him.
Isaiah 9:20And he shall turn to the right hand, and shall be hungry: and shall eat on the left hand, and shall not be filled: every one shell eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasses Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasses, and they together shall be against Juda.
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 →