Ecclesiastes 4:5
The fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:
Literal Standard Version
In The King James Version
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
In Context
6“Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labor and distress of spirit.”
Cross References
Proverbs 6:9Until when, O slothful one, do you lie? When do you arise from your sleep?
Proverbs 6:11And your poverty has come as a traveler, || And your want as an armed man.
Proverbs 12:27The slothful does not roast his game, || And the wealth of a diligent man is precious.
Proverbs 20:4The slothful does not plow because of winter, || He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
Isaiah 9:20And cuts down on the right, and has been hungry, || And he devours on the left, || And they have not been satisfied, || They each devour the flesh of his own arm.
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 →