the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Wycliffe Bible
Ecclesiastes 4:6
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Better one handful with restthan two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.
Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.
Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
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.
One hand full of rest and patience is better than two fists full of labor and chasing after the wind.
Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.
Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then two handfuls with labour and vexation of spirit.
One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
Yet a very little food eaten in peace is better than twice as much earned from overwork and chasing the wind.
Better an armload with tranquillity than both arms full of effort and feeding on wind.
Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with labour and pursuit of the wind.
Maybe that is true. But I say it is better to be satisfied with the few things you have than to always be struggling to get more.
Better is a handful with quietness than both hands full with toil and vexation of spirit.
Maybe so, but it is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind.
Better is one handful with peace than two fists full with toil and chasing wind.
Better is a hand filled with rest, than two fists with labor and striving after wind.
One handfull (saieth he) is better wt rest, the both ye handes full with labor and trauayle.
Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.
Better is a handful of quietness, than both the hands full of labour and striving after wind.
Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then both the hands full with trauell and vexation of spirit.
One handfull [saith he] is better with rest, then both the handes full with labour and trauayle of mynde.
Better is a handful of rest than two handfuls of trouble and waywardness of spirit.
Better is an handful with quietness, than two handfuls with labour and striving after wind.
Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than both the hands full [with] toil and vexation of spirit.
Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind.
Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.
And yet, "Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind."
One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of work and trying to catch the wind.
Better is a handful with quiet than two handfuls with toil, and a chasing after wind.
Better a handful - with quietness, - than both hands, full - with toil, and feeding on wind.
Better is a handful with rest, than both hands full with labour, and vexation of mind.
Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
`Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labour and vexation of spirit.'
One handful of peaceful repose Is better than two fistfuls of worried work— More spitting into the wind.
One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
Contextual Overview
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
Forsothe Adam knewe Eue his wijf, which conseyuede, and childide Cayn, and seide, Y haue gete a man bi God.
Sotheli it was don after many daies, that Cayn offride yiftis to the Lord of the fruytis of erthe;
and Abel offride of the first gendrid of his floc, and of the fatnesse of tho. And the Lord bihelde to Abel and to the yiftis of hym;
sotheli he bihelde not to Cayn and to hise yiftis. And Cayn was wrooth greetli, and his cheer felde doun.
And Cayn seide to Abel his brother, Go we out. And whanne thei weren in the feeld, Cayn roos ayens his brother Abel, and killide him.
Now therfor thou schalt be cursid on erthe, that openyde his mouth, and resseyuede of thin hond the blood of thi brothir.
And Cayn seide to the Lord, My wickidnesse is more than that Y disserue foryyuenesse; lo!
Wrathfulnesse sleeth `a fonned man, and enuye sleeth a litil child.
And come ye, and repreue ye me, seith the Lord. Thouy youre synnes ben as blood reed, tho schulen be maad whijt as snow; and thouy tho ben reed as vermylioun, tho schulen be whijt as wolle.
The Lord seith these thingis, What of wickidnesse foundun youre fadris in me, for thei yeden fer awey fro me, and yeden after vanyte, and weren maad veyn?
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 foolâs 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.
