King James Version

Ecclesiastes 4:6

Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

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Hebrew

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ט֕וֹבtovgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…מְלֹ֥אmelofulnessמְלֹאnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “fulness”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4393fulness (literally or figuratively)[idiom] all along, [idiom] all that is (there-) in, fill, ([idiom] that whereof...was) full, fulness, (hand-) full, multitude.כַ֖ףkhafhand , -dle,כַּףnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “hand , -dle,”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3709the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, powerbranch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.נָ֑חַתnachatlighting downנַחַתnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “lighting down”, the ordinary formH5183a descent, i.e. imposition, unfavorable (punishment) or favorable (food); restfulnesslighting down, quiet(-ness), to rest, be set on.מִמְּלֹ֥אmimlofrom fulnessמְלֹאpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “from fulness”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4393fulness (literally or figuratively)[idiom] all along, [idiom] all that is (there-) in, fill, ([idiom] that whereof...was) full, fulness, (hand-) full, multitude.חָפְנַ֛יִםchafenayimfistsחֹפֶןnoun, common, masculine, dual, absolute — “fists”, the ordinary formH2651a fist (only in the dual)fists, (both) hands, hand(-ful).עָמָ֖לamaltoilעָמָלnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “toil”, the ordinary formH5999toil, i.e. wearing effort; hence, worry, wheth. of body or mindgrievance(-vousness), iniquity, labour, mischief, miserable(-sery), pain(-ful), perverseness, sorrow, toil, travail, trouble, wearisome, wickedness.וּרְע֥וּתureutand vexationרְעוּתconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “and vexation”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7469a feeding upon, i.e. grasping aftervexation.רֽוּחַruchaangerרוּחַnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “anger”, the ordinary formH7307wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Better is a handful of quietness, than both the hands full of labour and striving after wind.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.

Young’s Literal Translation

'Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labour and vexation of spirit.'

World English Bible

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

Darby Translation

Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with labour and pursuit of the wind.

Douay-Rheims

Better is a handful with rest, than both hands full with labour, and vexation of mind.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Better is a handful of quietness, than both the hands full of labour and striving after wind.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Better is a handful of rest than two handfuls of trouble and waywardness of spirit.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἀγαθὸν πλήρωμα δρακὸς ἀναπαύσεως ὑπὲρ πληρώματα δύο δρακῶν μόχθου καὶ προαιρέσεως πνεύματος.