“a handful of repose, … two handfuls of travail and feeding on wind.”, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. What does ecclesiastes mean? It is pitched in the same key as the maxim of the Apostle Paul: “Godliness with contentment is great gain”: and it reminds us of the still more inclusive maxim of our Lord Himself: “A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (T. C. "The beautiful expression, a handful of quietness, manages to convey the twofold thought of modest demands and inward peace: and attitude as far removed from the fool"s selfish indolence as from the thruster"s scramble for pre-eminence" (Kidner p. 46). Now, here is one of those maxims with which Ecclesiastes sought to comfort the hearts and to direct the conduct of his countrymen. the post-bibl. Solomon is speaking here, as if that life was not breathed into him, and he was a baby who never lived. It depends on what is in the hands. Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. Of the sluggard making this apology for his idleness, that his little with ease, is better than great riches got with much trouble. Does it have meaning or not? Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness - Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter. 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. — This verse confirms what has been said to the credit of the lazy man, and really assigns a reason for the statement of Ecclesiastes 4:5. I believe that the same idea is found in 1 Timothy "when accompanied by contentment", and Proverbs 17:1 "Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting with strife". Hebrew; “One open hand (palm) full of quietness, than both closed hands full of travail.” “Quietness” (mental tranquillity flowing from honest labor), opposed to “eating one‘s own flesh” (Ecclesiastes 4:5), also opposed to anxious labor to gain (Ecclesiastes 4:8; Proverbs 15:16, Proverbs 15:17; Proverbs 16:8). We try to control it, but time marches on, we die and life is random. The reason for that is that there are certain passages in this book which seem to deny that there is life after death, that it is all over when this life ends. Ecclesiastes uses the absurdity of life to point to its meaning. Ecclesiastes 4:6 NIV - Better one handful with tranquillity - Bible Gateway. Men are warned, however. It depends also on what kind of man has the handful or handfuls. Find Top Church Sermons, Illustrations, and Preaching Slides on Ecclesiastes 4:6. And so, this is the meaning of Ecclesiastes: We live in a broken world where life is confusing and chaotic, filled with things that seem satisfying but actually leave us empty, hurt, and/or angry. Ecclesiastes 4:6 Better [is] an handful [with] quietness, than both the hands full [with] travail and vexation of spirit. In my previous post I pointed to the "Wisdom" literature of the Old Testament (usually said to comprise Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes), suggesting that this is a good time for all of us to ingest some wisdom from those who went before. 1.) Of Solomon, who elsewhere speaks to the same purpose, as Proverbs 15:16,17 17:1, and here proposeth it as a good antidote against the vanity of immoderate cares and labours for worldly goods, against which he industriously directs his speeches in divers places of this book; and particularly as a seasonable precaution against the sin of covetousness, of which he speaks in the following passage. Ecclesiastes is wisdom literature in regard to kind of a big picture of life. To get what Ecclesiastes 4:6 means based on its source text, scroll down or follow these links for the original scriptural meaning , biblical context and relative popularity. It would be better to use of in place of “with,” and Hebrew usage would demand it — “handful of quietness,” “both the hands full of travail.”. Many of them might be disposed to murmur because the times were adverse to their acquisition of wealth. Life is hevel or vapor, according to the Book of Ecclesiastes. hÌ£upunnu ) the hand closed like a ball, the first. “Rest” and “labour and windy effort” are the accusatives of that to which the designation of measure refers (Gesen. The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures is published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. The answer lies in rightly facing sinful drives that urge us to follow the world in its evil quests. Taught by such an experience they will be satisfied with a humble and limited lot. Ecclesiastes 4:4. Ecclesiastes 11:4. Many of us need to learn this lesson, to be grateful and appreciative for the handful that we do have and realize that the price of two handfuls might be less time with our mate, less time with our children and less time for God. Or ever the silver cord be loosed. Hebrew, 'one open hand (palm) full of quietness, than both closed hands (fists) full of (what seems wealth, but which is really) travail.' 3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. Ecclesiastes 11:5 “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Better is an handful with quietness. 5 The foole foldeth his hands together, and eateth his owne flesh. To make Israel content with its lot by laying bare the vanity of that which it was destitute of, but which the world possessed, is the usually misunderstood main drift of Ecclesiastes 4:4-6. 9:11 Again I # ch. Again I considered all travail, and every right work The pains that men take to do right works. a penny by begging better than twopence by true labour? See the note on Ecclesiastes 12:2-3. This is the same exact case with Solomon in the Book of Ecclesiastes. 3); the accus. But it is an argument against that spirit of envious rivalry and selfish, restless ambition, which lessens the capacity, in the very act of increasing the means, of enjoyment. Ecclesiastes 11:5 Meaning of Path of the Wind. of that with which anything is full. 6. This too is vanity and striving after wind. 2. You do what you can, you get along, if you can make money fine, do whatever makes you happy because all too soon you will be old and youll be sick and you wont be able to enjoy life. 5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. by the bitter experience mentioned in Ecclesiastes 4:4, to do well, and not to go beyond that which is strictly necessary. Some apply themselves, with great diligence and industry, to the study of the liberal arts and sciences; and to attain the knowledge of languages; and to writing books, for the improvement of those things, and the good of mankind: and others employ themselves in … The book of Ecclesiastes has long been my… And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. Plenty of people do not think there is much meaning to life. Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. In “and windy effort” lies the reason for the judgment pronounced. "One hand full or rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind". Mind. Ecclesiastes 4:6. 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;''. 6. High popularity:210 searches a month. — Remember thy Creator, I say, before the silver cord be removed, and the golden pully hasteneth its motion, and the jar be dashed to pieces upon the well, and the conduit be broken, through which the water used to run into the cistern. This maxim of Ecclesiastes is well worth pondering. Ecclesiastes definition, a book of the Bible. One man may get more real satisfaction out of a little than another man gets out of much. Ecclesiastes 4:6 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Ecclesiastes 4:6, NIV: "Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind." The striving of a man who laboriously seeks only himself and loses himself in restlessness, is truly a striving which has wind for its object, and has the property of wind. Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil … He summarizes how to avoid the influence of the corruption. Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. 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. Ecclesiastes is a book in the Old Testament of the Bible.It is described as "the words of the Philosopher, David's son, who was King in Jerusalem" (verse 1).This is probably Solomon.The book talks about the meaning of life and the best way to live.. People disagree about what the Book of Ecclesiastes means. Mendelssohn and others interpret Ecclesiastes 4:5 as the objection of the industrious, and Ecclesiastes 4:6 as the reply of the slothful. Better is a handful with quietness, &c. — These are the words, either, 1st, Of the sluggard, making this apology for his idleness, that his little, with ease, is better than great riches got with much trouble; or, 2d, of Solomon, who elsewhere speaks to the same purpose, and here proposes this antidote against the vanity of immoderate cares and labours for worldly goods, against which he industriously directs his speech in divers places of this book, and particularly in the following passage. One handful of grain is better than two handfuls of chaff. Your friends and loved ones’ envy and sometimes even despise you, when you are more successful than they are. Meaning of ecclesiastes. In human life it often happens that a plus involves a minus; a gain in one direction means a loss in another. Or. He describes what awaits us in the grave. They will value contentment over grasping for more. If one individual and another individual make a twofold cord, the threefold cord must have an additional element that we can infer to be God Almighty. 1:2 no one to comfort them! In the Hebrew Bible, Ecclesiastes stands between the Song of Solomon and Lamentations and with them belongs to … כּף is the open hollow hand, and חפן (Assyr. Ecclesiastes is a phonetic transliteration of the Greek word Ἐκκλησιαστής (Ekklesiastes), which in the Septuagint translates the Hebrew name of its stated author, Kohelet (קֹהֶלֶת). Or the words may contain Solomon's reflection on the subject. It is better to be happy with a little, than unhappy with much. 3:16 saw all # ch. 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 labors 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." Happiness, in its degree and quality, varies with the man who enjoys, as welt as with the means of enjoyment. Zckler agrees with Hitz., and lapses into the hypothesis of a dialogue otherwise rejected by him. But better than both is the one who … Ecclesiastes, (Preacher), an Old Testament book of wisdom literature that belongs to the third section of the biblical canon, known as the Ketuvim (Writings). Definition of ecclesiastes in the Definitions.net dictionary. One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind. --- The indolent will not observe moderation in the application of this sentence. 5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. "One hand full of rest"-"Better is a handful with rest, than both fists full of toil and chasing after wind" (Ber). Ecclesiastes 4:6 Context. Ecclesiastes 4:6 Context. To what end, saith he, should a man toil and tire out himself with hard labour to compass commodity - making a drudge and a beast of himself for a little pelf, since he knows not who shall have the spending of it, and he is sure to be either squeezed by his superiors, {as Ecclesiastes 4:1} or else envied by his neighbours? As everywhere, so also here it preserves the unity of the combination of thoughts. 5:8; Job 35:9 the oppressions that are done under the sun. "Quietness" (tranquillity flowing from moderate labour) is the happy mean between ruinous indolence on the one hand (Ecclesiastes 4:5), and laborious acquisition of wealth, and with it envy, on the other (Ecclesiastes 4:4 ; Proverbs 15:16-17; Proverbs 16:8). There are a lot of people for … Ecclesiastes 4:6 Better [is] an handful [with] quietness, than both the hands full [with] travail and vexation of spirit. It is well observed by an interpreter, that this sentence uttered by the sluggard, is, in its true meaning, not much different from that of the wise man in Proverbs 17:1, but ill applied by him. Finlayson. Those living by faith will face the pulls of the corruption and endeavor to resist them as they strive to live above-the-sun lives by faith. 6.Better is a handful, etc. עמל and רעות רוח point back to Ecclesiastes 4:4. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had # Lam. Browse Sermons on Ecclesiastes 4:6. §118. I say that a stillborn l child is better off than he. The last portion of the passage refers to a threefold cord. Better is an handful with quietness.] Ver. Atheists love to contend that the book of Ecclesiastes seems to confirm that view. NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: ECCLESIASTES 4:4-6 4 I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. 1. "Both fists full of, etc," is as much as "both fists full of good," which more carefully looked into, is after all only travail and empty effort. nasb (updated) text: ecclesiastes 6:10-12 10 Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is. As everywhere, so also here it preserves the unity of the combination of thoughts. Ecclesiastes 4:1-16—Read the Bible online or download free. Ecclesiastes is one of the favorite books of the Bible for skeptics, scoffers, atheists and certain of the cultists. Ecclesiastes 4:1–6:12 Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness. The fifth verse stands in a relation of contrast to this which follows: “Better is one hand full of quietness, than both fists full of labour and windy effort.” Mendelssohn and others interpret Ecclesiastes 4:5 as the objection of the industrious, and Ecclesiastes 4:6 as the reply of the slothful. So he assumes a superficial naturalism, to wrong foot his readers in order to point to the deeper underlying truths of our existence. Commentary on Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 (Read Ecclesiastes 4:4-6) Solomon notices the sources of trouble peculiar to well-doers, and includes all who labour with diligence, and whose efforts are crowned with success. When a person is born, he is nothing, until the breath of life is breathed into him by God. The former meaning seems preferable. May 6, 2020 Apr 14, 2020 by Editor in Chief. Israel then had the hand full of rest: the heathen power, both fists full of travail. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. Solomon is saying, that many times with great wealth and success, goes much unhappiness. The meaning of Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 shows that Solomon is speaking of what awaits us after we die. would say, No, I dont think so. The sequence of the thoughts is this: The fool in idleness consumes his own life-strength; but, on the other hand, a little of true rest is better than the labour of windy effort, urged on by rivalry yielding no rest. Title. Ecclesiastes definition is - a book of wisdom literature in canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture. Ecclesiastes 12:6. Ecclesiastes 4:6. He that observeth the wind, shall not sow, &c. — He who neglects the necessary works of sowing and reaping, because the weather is not exactly suitable to his desires, will lose his harvest. 2 And I # See Job 3:11-26 thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are … Taking the wisdom of the world, he pushes it to its logical end-points, which is what Francis Schaeffer did in his book The God Who is There . The “quietness” here spoken of is not the inactivity of sloth, but that restfulness of spirit which an industrious man may enjoy when his industry is pervaded by a cheerful contentment. (Menochius). (Haydock) (Proverbs xvii. Ecclesiastes 4:6. Either the fool‘s sarcasm on his successful but restless neighbor; or the comment of Solomon recommending contentment with a moderate competence. Better — These are the words of the sluggard, making this apology for his idleness, That his little with ease, is better than great riches got with much trouble. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. I have written on the Book of Ecclesiastes and the subject of the meaning of our lives on several occasions on this blog.In this series on Ecclesiastes I hope to show how secular humanist man can not hope to find a lasting meaning to his life in a closed system without bringing God back into the picture. But in order to get the significance of that verse and the section it’s in, we need to back up just a little. Better (is) an handful (with) quietness, than both the hands full (with) travail. — This verse confirms what has been said to the credit of the lazy man, and really assigns a reason for the statement of, in place of “with,” and Hebrew usage would demand it — “handful, "One hand full or rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind", John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary, Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible, Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments, George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged, Ernst Hengstenberg on John, Revelation, Ecclesiastes, Ezekiel & Psalms. 6 Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then both the hands full with trauell and vexation of spirit. See more. They often become great and … Instead of trying to seize control of the “hebel” all around us, we should instead focus our lives on fearing God and doing what is right. These are the words of the slothful, (Calmet) or of truth. Information and translations of ecclesiastes in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Abbreviations: Eccles., Eccl. Good words are not always to be trusted, from ill men especially. נחת signifies here, as little as it does anywhere else, the rest of sloth; but rest, in contrast to such activity in labour as robs a man of himself, to the hunting after gain and honour which never has enough, to the rivalry which places its goal always higher and higher, and seeks to be before others - it is rest connected with well-being (Ecclesiastes 6:5), gentle quietness (Ecclesiastes 9:17), resting from self-activity (Isaiah 30:15); cf. In a word, nahath has not here the sense of being idle or lazy. Ecclesiastes 4:6 Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than both the hands full [with] travail and vexation of spirit. {as Ecclesiastes 4:4} Is not a little with ease better? On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. “Better isan handful withquietness, than both the hands full withtravail and vexation of spirit.”. Two handfuls are not necessarily better than one. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, , etc. This, indeed, is no argument for “folding the hands” in sloth or indifference; for there is no weariness like the weariness of idleness, and there is no more prolific source of cares than carelessness. Ecclesiastes 6 Commentary Summary Meaning Explained We’re starting in Ecclesiastes 6:1 for this Ecclesiastes 6 Commentary. Yea, and even the same man may possibly get more satisfaction out of one handful than out of two handfuls of the same thing. רוּח נחת, satisfaction, contentment, comfort. It depends on whether the additional handful does not bring with it something else as well.