ä¼ é“ä¹¦ 4:6

Chinese NCV (Simplified)

一掌盛滿安寧，勝過兩手抓滿勞碌捕風。

Parallel Translations

Chinese Union (Simplified)
满 了 一 把 ， 得 享 安 静 ， 强 如 满 了 两 把 ， 劳 碌 捕 风 。

Contextual Overview

⁴ 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. ⁵ Some say it is foolish to fold your hands and do nothing, because you will starve to death. ⁶ 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Psalms 37:16, Proverbs 15:16, Proverbs 15:17, Proverbs 16:8, Proverbs 17:1

Reciprocal: Proverbs 15:6 - in the revenues Ecclesiastes 2:22 - and of the Luke 12:15 - for 1 Thessalonians 4:11 - that 2 Thessalonians 3:12 - that with

Cross-References

Genesis 4:1
Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. Eve said, "With the Lord 's help, I have given birth to a man."

Genesis 4:3
Later, Cain brought some food from the ground as a gift to God.

Genesis 4:4
Abel brought the best parts from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift,

Genesis 4:5
but he did not accept Cain and his gift. So Cain became very angry and felt rejected.

Genesis 4:8
Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out into the field." While they were out in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4:11
And now you will be cursed in your work with the ground, the same ground where your brother's blood fell and where your hands killed him.

Genesis 4:13
Then Cain said to the Lord , "This punishment is more than I can stand!

Job 5:2
Anger kills the fool, and jealousy slays the stupid.

Isaiah 1:18
The Lord says, "Come, let us talk about these things. Though your sins are like scarlet, they can be as white as snow. Though your sins are deep red, they can be white like wool.

Jeremiah 2:5
This is what the Lord says: "I was fair to your ancestors, so why did they turn away from me? Your ancestors worshiped useless idols and became useless themselves.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Better [is] a handful [with] quietness,.... These are the words of the fool, according to Aben Ezra; and which is the sense of other interpreters, particularly Mr. Broughton, who connects this verse with Ecclesiastes 4:5 by adding at the end of that the word "saying"; making an excuse or an apology for himself and conduct, from the use and profitableness of his sloth; that little had with ease, and without toil and labour, is much better

than both the hands full [with] travail and vexation of spirit; than large possessions gotten with a great deal of trouble, and enjoyed with much vexation and uneasiness; in which he mistakes slothful ease for true quietness; calls honest labour and industry travail and vexation; and supposes that true contentment lies in the enjoyment of little, and cannot be had where there is much; whereas it is to be found in a good man in every state: or else these words express the true sentiments of Solomon's mind, steering between the two extremes of slothfulness, and too toilsome labour to be rich; that it is much more eligible to have a competency, though it is but small, with a good conscience, with tranquillity of mind, with the love and fear of God, and a contented heart, than to have a large estate, with great trouble and fatigue in getting and keeping it, especially with discontent and uneasiness; and this agrees with what the wise man says elsewhere, Proverbs 15:16. The Targum is,

"better to a man is a handful of food with quietness of soul, and without robbery and rapine, than two handfuls of food with robbery and rapine;''

or with what is gotten in an ill way.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Either the fool’s sarcasm on his successful but restless neighbor; or the comment of Solomon recommending contentment with a moderate competence. The former meaning seems preferable.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 4:6. Better is a handful with quietness — These may be the words of the slothful man, and spoken in vindication of his idleness; as if he had said, "Every man who labours and amasses property is the object of envy, and is marked by the oppressor as a subject for spoil; better, therefore, to act as I do; gain little, and have little, and enjoy my handful with quietness." Or the words may contain Solomon's reflection on the subject.