Ecclesiastes 4:4-6,8

Em outras traduções

1. KJV King James Version

   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.*4.4 every…: Heb. all the rightness of work*4.4 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.

   8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

2. NIV New International Version

   4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

   5 Fools fold their hands

   and ruin themselves.

   6 Better one handful with tranquillity

   than two handfuls with toil

   and chasing after the wind.

   8 There was a man all alone;

   he had neither son nor brother.

   There was no end to his toil,

   yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.

   "For whom am I toiling," he asked,

   "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?"

   This too is meaningless—

   a miserable business!

3. ESV English Standard Version

   4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is *See ch. 1:14vanity*4:4 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a "vapor" or "mere breath"; also verses 7, 8, 16 (see note on 1:2) and a striving after wind.

   5 The fool *Prov. 6:10;24:33folds his hands and *[Isa. 9:20]eats his own flesh.

   6 *See Prov. 15:16Better is a handful of *ch. 6:5quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.

   8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his *ch. 1:8;[Prov. 27:20;1 John 2:16] eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, *ch. 2:18;Ps. 39:6"For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity and an unhappy *See ch. 1:13business.

4. NLT New Living Translation

   4 Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

   5 "Fools fold their idle hands,

   leading them to ruin."

   6 And yet,

   "Better to have one handful with quietness

   than two handfuls with hard work

   and chasing the wind."

   8 This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, "Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?" It is all so meaningless and depressing.

5. NASB New American Standard Bible 2020

   4 I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a person and his neighbor. This too is futility and striving after wind. 5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. 6 One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

   8 There was a man without a *4:8 Lit seconddependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches, and he never asked, "And for whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?" This too is futility, and it is an unhappy task.

6. CSB Christian Standard Bible

   4 I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another.  * 4:4 1Sm 18:9; Ec 2:21; Ac 13:45; 2Co 12:20 This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.  * 4:4 Or a feeding on wind, or an affliction of spirit; also in vv. 6,16,* 4:4 Ec 1:14

   5 The fool folds his arms  * 4:5 Pr 6:10; 24:33

   and consumes his own flesh.  * 4:5 Is 9:20

   6 Better one handful with rest

   than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.  * 4:6 Pr 15:16–17

   8 There is a person without a companion,  * 4:8 Lit person, but there is not a second, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches.  * 4:8 Pr 27:20; Ec 1:8; 5:10 "Who am I struggling for," he asks, "and depriving myself of good things? " This too is futile and a miserable task.

7. DRA Douay-Rheims American 1899

   4 Again I considered all the labours of men, and I remarked that their industries are exposed to the envy of their neighhour: so in this also there is vanity, and fruitless care. 5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh, saying: 6 Better is a handful with rest, than both hands full with labour, and vexation of mind. 8 There is but one, and he hath not a second, no child, no brother, and yet he ceaseth not to labour, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches, neither doth he reflect, saying: For whom do I labour, and defraud my soul of good things? in this also is vanity, and a grievous vexation.

8. MSG The Message

   4 Then I observed all the work and ambition motivated by envy. What a waste! Smoke. And spitting into the wind.

   5 The fool sits back and takes it easy,

   His sloth is slow suicide.

   6 One handful of peaceful repose

   Is better than two fistfuls of worried work—

   More spitting into the wind.

   7,8 I turned my head and saw yet another wisp of smoke on its way to nothingness: a solitary person, completely alone—no children, no family, no friends—yet working obsessively late into the night, compulsively greedy for more and more, never bothering to ask, "Why am I working like a dog, never having any fun? And who cares?" More smoke. A bad business.