Ecclesiastes 4:4
Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man's rivalry with his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
JPS TaNaKH 1917
In The King James Version
In Context
5The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Cross References
Genesis 4:4And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering;
Genesis 26:14And he had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and a great household; and the Philistines envied him.
Genesis 37:2These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren, being still a lad even with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought evil report of them unto their father.
1 Samuel 18:9And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
1 Samuel 18:29And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy continually.
Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 4:2-4
The Prevalence of Oppression. 1 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. 2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. 3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. Solomon had a large soul ( 1 Kings… Read the whole commentary →