ECC 4:6 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for Bible-translators and others doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still early looks into the drafted texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: .
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Ἀγαθὸν πλήρωμα δρακὸς ἀναπαύσεως ὑπὲρ πληρώματα δύο δρακῶν μόχθου καὶ προαιρέσεως πνεύματος.
(Agathon plaʸrōma drakos anapauseōs huper plaʸrōmata duo drakōn moⱪthou kai proaireseōs pneumatos.)

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

ULT Better is a fullness of a palm with quiet
⇔ than a fullness of two handfuls with toil and pursuit of wind.

UST People also say this:
⇔ “Despite appearances, being contented with a simple, peaceful lifestyle is twice as good
⇔ as being rich, but living a life of stressful labor—as silly and frustrating as trying to grab a handful of the wind.”

BSB Better one handful with tranquility
⇔ than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.

MSB (Same as BSB above)

OEB No OEB ECC book available

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

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Better is one handful with some rest
⇔ than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind.

LSV “Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labor and distress of spirit.”

FBV It's better to earn a little[fn] without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.

4:6 Literally, “one handful.”

T4T So I say, “It is better to be content with not having much money,
⇔ than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money,
⇔ which is as useless as chasing the wind.”

LEB • Better is one handful with peace
• than two fists full with toil and chasing wind.

BBE One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.

Moff Still, one handful of content is better than two hands full of toil and futile effort.

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

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

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

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

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

RV Better is an handful with quietness, than two handfuls with labour and striving after wind.

SLT Good a hand filled with rest, above two hands full of labor and striving of spirit.

Wbstr Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full with toil and vexation of spirit.

KJB-1769 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
(Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation/frustration of spirit.)

KJB-1611 Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then both the hands full with trauell and vexation of spirit.
(Better is an handful with quietness, then both the hands full with travail and vexation/frustration of spirit.)

Bshps One handfull saith he is better with rest, then both the handes full with labour and trauayle of mynde.
(One handful saith/says he is better with rest, then both the hands full with labour and travail of mind.)

Gnva Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then two handfuls with labour and vexation of spirit.
(Better is an handful with quietness, then two handfuls with labour and vexation/frustration of spirit.)

Cvdl One handfull (saieth he) is better wt rest, the both ye handes full with labor and trauayle.
(One handful (saith/says he) is better with rest, the both ye/you_all hands full with labour and travail.)

Wycl and seith, Betere is an handful with reste, than euer either hondful with trauel and turment of soule.
(and saith/says, Better is an handful with rest, than ever either handful with travel and torment of soul.)

Luth Es ist besser eine Hand voll mit Ruhe denn beide Fäuste voll mit Mühe und Jammer.
(It is better a/one hand full/whole with rest/silence because/than both fists full/whole with effort/toil/trouble and misery.)

ClVg Melior est pugillus cum requie, quam plena utraque manus cum labore et afflictione animi.
(Better it_is handful/fistful when/with rest, how full both hands when/with with_hard_work and affliction of_the_soul.)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מְלֹ֥א כַ֖ף

full_of hand_of

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of fullness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [is what a palm holds]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

נָ֑חַת

rest

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of quiet, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [when you are calm]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

עָמָ֖ל

toil

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of toil, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [with working hard]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וּ⁠רְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ

and,striving_of wind

Solomon is speaking as if futile labor were a pursuit of wind. He means that such effort is pointless and unattainable. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and futile effort]

Note 5 topic: writing-proverbs

ט֕וֹב מְלֹ֥א כַ֖ף נָ֑חַת מִ⁠מְּלֹ֥א חָפְנַ֛יִם עָמָ֖ל וּ⁠רְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ

good full_of hand_of rest more,than_[the]_fullness_of fists toil and,striving_of wind

Solomon uses a proverb in order to teach that contentment with little is better than striving for much. Translate this proverb in a way that will be recognized as a proverb and be meaningful in your language and culture. Alternate translation: [One handful with peace is better than two handfuls with toil and chasing after wind]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מִ⁠מְּלֹ֥א חָפְנַ֛יִם

more,than_[the]_fullness_of fists

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of fullness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [than two handfuls]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מְלֹ֥א כַ֖ף נָ֑חַת

full_of hand_of rest

Solomon is speaking as if having a small amount with peace were having a fullness of a palm with quiet. He means that a little with contentment is valuable. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [a small amount with peace]

Parallel ECC 4:6