Ecclesiastes 4:4-6

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Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 The Message (MSG)

Then I observed all the work and ambition motivated by envy. What a waste! Smoke. And spitting into the wind. The fool sits back and takes it easy, His sloth is slow suicide. One handful of peaceful repose Is better than two fistfuls of worried work— More spitting into the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 King James Version (KJV)

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. The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)

I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind. The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 New Century Version (NCV)

I realized the reason people work hard and try to succeed: They are jealous of each other. This, too, is useless, like chasing the wind. Some say it is foolish to fold your hands and do nothing, because you will starve to death. Maybe so, but I say it is better to be content with what little you have. Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more, and that is like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 American Standard Version (ASV)

Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 New International Version (NIV)

And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 New King James Version (NKJV)

Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. The fool folds his hands And consumes his own flesh. Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 Amplified Bible (AMP)

I have seen that every [effort in] labor and every skill in work comes from man’s rivalry with his neighbor. This too is vanity (futility, false pride) and chasing after the wind. The fool folds his hands [together] and consumes his own flesh [destroying himself by idleness and apathy]. One hand full of rest and patience is better than two fists full of labor and chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 New Living Translation (NLT)

Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. “Fools fold their idle hands, leading them to ruin.” And yet

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.