Ecclesiastes 4:5

Bible in Basic English (1941)

The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Isa 9:20 : 20 On the right a man was cutting off bits and was still in need; on the left a man took a meal but had not enough; no man had pity on his brother; every man was making a meal of the flesh of his neighbour.
  • Prov 6:10-11 : 10 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep: 11 Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man
  • Prov 11:17 : 17 The man who has mercy will be rewarded, but the cruel man is the cause of trouble to himself.
  • Prov 12:27 : 27 He who is slow in his work does not go in search of food; but the ready worker gets much wealth.
  • Prov 13:4 : 4 The hater of work does not get his desires, but the soul of the hard workers will be made fat.
  • Prov 20:4 : 4 The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.
  • Prov 24:33-34 : 33 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep: 34 So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.
  • Job 13:14 : 14 I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 4:6
    77%

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

  • Prov 19:24
    75%

    24 The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin, and will not even take it to his mouth again.

  • Prov 26:15
    75%

    15 The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him.

  • Prov 18:2
    75%

    2 A foolish man has no pleasure in good sense, but only to let what is in his heart come to light.

  • Eccl 4:4
    73%

    4 And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

  • Prov 30:22
    73%

    22 A servant when he becomes a king; a man without sense when his wealth is increased;

  • Eccl 10:2-3
    2 verses
    73%

    2 The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.

    3 And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.

  • Prov 19:3
    72%

    3 By his foolish behaviour a man's ways are turned upside down, and his heart is bitter against the Lord.

  • Prov 26:4-6
    3 verses
    72%

    4 Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him.

    5 Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.

    6 He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage.

  • Prov 15:14
    72%

    14 The heart of the man of good sense goes in search of knowledge, but foolish things are the food of the unwise.

  • Eccl 10:12-15
    4 verses
    72%

    12 The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.

    13 The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.

    14 The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?

    15 The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.

  • Prov 21:25
    72%

    25 The desire of the hater of work is death to him, for his hands will do no work.

  • Eccl 6:7-8
    2 verses
    72%

    7 All the work of man is for his mouth, and still he has a desire for food.

    8 What have the wise more than the foolish? and what has the poor man by walking wisely before the living?

  • Isa 9:20
    71%

    20 On the right a man was cutting off bits and was still in need; on the left a man took a meal but had not enough; no man had pity on his brother; every man was making a meal of the flesh of his neighbour.

  • Prov 13:16
    71%

    16 A sharp man does everything with knowledge, but a foolish man makes clear his foolish thoughts.

  • Prov 5:11
    71%

    11 And you will be full of grief at the end of your life, when your flesh and your body are wasted;

  • Prov 18:6-7
    2 verses
    71%

    6 A foolish man's lips are a cause of fighting, and his mouth makes him open to blows.

    7 The mouth of a foolish man is his destruction, and his lips are a net for his soul.

  • Eccl 7:6
    71%

    6 Like the cracking of thorns under a pot, so is the laugh of a foolish man; and this again is to no purpose.

  • Prov 12:15
    71%

    15 The way of the foolish man seems right to him? but the wise man gives ear to suggestions.

  • Prov 17:16
    71%

    16 How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?

  • Prov 29:11
    71%

    11 A foolish man lets out all his wrath, but a wise man keeps it back quietly.

  • Prov 11:29
    71%

    29 The troubler of his house will have the wind for his heritage, and the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.

  • Prov 10:4
    71%

    4 He who is slow in his work becomes poor, but the hand of the ready worker gets in wealth.

  • Prov 19:15
    70%

    15 Hate of work sends deep sleep on a man: and he who has no industry will go without food.

  • Eccl 2:25
    70%

    25 Who may take food or have pleasure without him?

  • Prov 12:23
    70%

    23 A sharp man keeps back his knowledge; but the heart of foolish men makes clear their foolish thoughts.

  • Prov 26:9-11
    3 verses
    70%

    9 Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a man overcome by drink, so is a wise saying in the mouth of a foolish man.

    10 Like an archer wounding all who go by, is a foolish man overcome by drink.

    11 Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again.

  • Prov 10:23
    70%

    23 It is sport to the foolish man to do evil, but the man of good sense takes delight in wisdom.

  • Ps 107:17
    70%

    17 Foolish men, because of their sins, and because of their wrongdoing, are troubled;

  • Prov 30:32
    70%

    32 If you have done foolishly in lifting yourself up, or if you have had evil designs, put your hand over your mouth.

  • Prov 17:21
    70%

    21 He who has an unwise son gets sorrow for himself, and the father of a foolish son has no joy.

  • Isa 44:20
    70%

    20 As for him whose food is the dust of a dead fire, he has been turned from the way by a twisted mind, so that he is unable to keep himself safe by saying, What I have here in my hand is false.

  • Job 5:2
    70%

    2 For wrath is the cause of death to the foolish, and he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion.

  • Prov 16:26
    70%

    26 The desire of the working man is working for him, for his need of food is driving him on.

  • Eccl 2:15
    70%

    15 Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.

  • Prov 24:33
    69%

    33 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:

  • Prov 15:5
    69%

    5 A foolish man puts no value on his father's training; but he who has respect for teaching has good sense.

  • Eccl 5:17
    69%

    17 This is what I have seen: it is good and fair for a man to take meat and drink and to have joy in all his work under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; that is his reward.

  • Prov 14:16
    69%

    16 The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.

  • Prov 14:8
    69%

    8 The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.