Ecclesiastes 4:5

Fools fold their arms and do nothing—so in the end they're all used up.

Free Bible Version

In The King James Version

The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

In Context

4I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.

6It's better to earn a little without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 4

Cross References

Proverbs 6:9So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?

Proverbs 6:11and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.

Proverbs 12:27Lazy people don't catch their prey, but if you work hard you can become rich.

Proverbs 20:4Slackers don't sow when they should, so when harvest comes they don't have anything.

Isaiah 9:20People destroy others on the right, yet they're still hungry for more; people destroy others on the left, but they're still not satisfied. In the end they even destroy themselves!

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 →

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