# Ecclesiastes 4.5 **Book:** [Ecclesiastes](/codex/ecclesiastes/) · NASB95 ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 3. yea, better than them both did I esteem him that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. 4. 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. > > **5. The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.** > > 6. Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind. 7. Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 4:3-7, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 3. Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. 4. Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. > > **5. The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.** > > 6. Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind. 7. Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 4:3-7, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 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. 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. every: Heb. all the rightness of work for this: Heb. this is the envy of a man from his neighbour > > **5. The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.** > > 6. Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. 7. Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 4:3-7, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 3. And better than both of them [is] he who hath not yet been, in that he hath not seen the evil work that hath been done under the sun. 4. And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit. > > **5. The fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:** > > 6. 'Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labour and vexation of spirit.' 7. And I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun: (Ecclesiastes 4:3-7, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** _TBD_ - **Audience:** _TBD_ - **Location:** _TBD_ - **Time period:** _TBD_ ## Theological reading _Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._ ## Key words _Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ ## Notes _Your annotations._ ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.