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Text -- Ecclesiastes 4:1-6 (NET)
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Strongs On/Off
Context
Evil Oppression on Earth
4:1 So I again considered all the oppression that continually occurs on earth . This is what I saw : The oppressed were in tears , but no one was comforting them; no one delivers them from the power of their oppressors .
4:2 So I considered those who are dead and gone more fortunate than those who are still alive .
4:3 But better than both is the one who has not been born and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth .
Labor Motivated by Envy
4:4 Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another . This also is profitless – like chasing the wind .
4:5 The fool folds his hands and does no work, so he has nothing to eat but his own flesh .
4:6 Better is one handful handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind .
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics
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Dictionary Themes and Topics:
Life |
Instruction |
Philosophy |
Oppression |
Laziness |
Jealousy |
Vanity |
Rulers |
Peace |
Fool |
Poverty |
Poor |
Death |
HANDFUL |
HAND |
FOOL; FOLLY |
FOLD; FOLDING |
RIGHT |
SKILL; SKILFUL |
ESTEEM |
more
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expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
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NET Notes: Ecc 4:4 The word “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
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NET Notes: Ecc 4:5 Heb “and eats his own flesh.” Most English versions render the idiom literally: “and eats/consumes his flesh” (KJV, AS, NASB, ...
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