Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, May 7th, 2025
the Third Week after Easter
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Bahasa Indonesia Sehari-hari

Pengkhotbah 4:6

Segenggam ketenangan lebih baik dari pada dua genggam jerih payah dan usaha menjaring angin.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Contentment;   Peace;   Poor;   Poverty;   Thompson Chain Reference - Care;   Quietness;   Quietness-Tumult;   Rest-Unrest;   Trouble;   Worldly;   The Topic Concordance - Foolishness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Peace;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher;   Handful;   Travail;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - AḥiḴar;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for September 17;  

Parallel Translations

Alkitab Terjemahan Baru
Segenggam ketenangan lebih baik dari pada dua genggam jerih payah dan usaha menjaring angin.

Contextual Overview

4 Agayne, I sawe that all trauayle and diligence of labour that euery man taketh in hande, was done of enuie agaynst his neighbour: This is also a vayne thyng, and a vexation of mynde. 5 The foole foldeth his handes together, and eateth vp his owne fleshe. 6 One handfull [saith he] is better with rest, then both the handes full with labour and trauayle of mynde.

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
And Adam knewe Heua his wyfe, who conceauing bare Cain, saying: I haue gotten a man of the Lorde.
Genesis 4:3
And in processe of dayes it came to passe, that Cain brought of the fruite of the grounde, an oblation vnto ye lorde:
Genesis 4:4
Habel also brought of the firstlynges of his sheepe, & of the fatte thereof: and the Lorde had respect vnto Habel, and to his oblation.
Genesis 4:5
But vnto Cain and to his offeryng he had no respect: for the whiche cause Cain was exceedyng wroth, and his countenaunce abated.
Genesis 4:8
And Cain talked with Habel his brother: and it came to passe when they were in the fielde, Cain rose vp agaynst Habel his brother, & slewe him.
Genesis 4:11
And nowe art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receaue thy brothers blood from thy hande.
Genesis 4:13
And Cain sayde vnto the Lord: My iniquitie is more then that it may be forgeuen.
Job 5:2
As for the foolish ma, wrathfulnesse killeth him, and enuie slayeth the ignorant.
Isaiah 1:18
And then go to, saith the Lorde, let vs talke together: though your sinnes be as red as scarlet, they shalbe as whyte as snowe: and though they were lyke purple, they shalbe as whyte as wooll.
Jeremiah 2:5
Thus saith the Lorde, What vnfaithfulnesse founde your fathers in me, that they went so farre away fro me, fallyng to lightnesse, and beyng so vayne?

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile