Prosperity, which men so much covet, is the very source of provoking oppression (Ecclesiastes 4:1) and "envy," so far is it from constituting the chief good. 1857. It does not seem to matter what we do. If, some two or three and twenty centuries ago, the Jews were bent every man on outdoing and outselling his neighbour; if his main ambition was to amass greater wealth or to secure a larger business than his competitors, or to make a handsomer show before the world; if in the urgent pursuit of this ambition he held his neighbours not as neighbours, but as unscrupulous rivals, keen for gain at his expense and to rise by his fall; if, to reach his end, he was willing to get up early and go late to rest, to force all his energies into an injurious activity and strain them close to the snapping point: if this were what a Jew of that time was like, might you not easily take it for a portrait of many an English merchant, manufacturer, lawyer, or politician? 4 Again I turned my attention to all the acts of oppression that go on under the sun. Others, seeing the vexations of an active course, foolishly expect more satisfaction in sloth and idleness. John Trapp Complete Commentary. 1983-1999. 2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. They often become great and prosperous, but this excites envy and opposition. Better is a handful with quietness, than two handfuls and striving after wind. The illustration hereby induced of the value of closer social connection of men and harmonious co-operation of their powers to one end (9–12) leads to the closing reflection; this is devoted to the distress and disaster of the highest circles of human society, acknowledging the fate even of the most favoured pets of fortune, such as the occupants of princely or kingly thrones, to be uncertain and liable to a reverse, and thus showing that. {See Trapp on "Proverbs 27:4"}. Go to. Some people have no friends. Two are always better than one (BDB 25) and three better than two (cf. BibliographyNisbet, James. "Commentary on Ecclesiastes 4:4". Ecclésiaste 1:4 - Une génération s'en va, une autre vient, et la terre subsiste toujours. For he comes out of prison to be king, Although he was born poor in his kingdom. Ecclesiastes 4:4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. With increased force of expression the author here says that it is better not to have been born at all than to live. Ecclesiastes 4:3. Then he becomes a living soul. This is also vanity. 1859. 15:16,17; 16:8) or quote. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.". 1876. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use our convenient, "For this a man is envied of his neighbor", John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Again I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament, I. "Commentary on Ecclesiastes 4:4". Is envied of his neighbour; instead of that honour and recompence which he deserves, he meets with nothing but envy and obloquy, and many evil fruits thereof. Assuming, as Koheleth does in this discussion, from Ecclesiastes 3:22, that there is no future life, he is prepared to suggest that jealousy of one another is the main cause of men’s efforts in life. That for this a man is envied of his neighbour.] 4:6 This verse is possibly another proverb (e.g., Prov. This too is futile--a miserable task. "Commentary on Ecclesiastes 4:4". 4. Devotion to Business springs from Jealous Competition: (a) Let us glance once more at the several symptoms we have already heard him discuss, and consider whether or not they accord with the results of our own observation and experience, is it true, then-or, rather, is it not true-that our devotion to business is becoming excessive and exhausting, and that this devotion springs mainly from our jealous rivalry and competition with each other? Ecclesiastes 4:5. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/ecclesiastes-4.html. I. Even in friendly rivalry this may play a larger part than we think----for we can bear to be outclassed for some of the time and by some people, but not too regularly or too profoundly", Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Commentary Critical and Explanatory - Unabridged, Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible, Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures. According to the contrast here drawn pips must refer to the labour, the activity itself, and not to the result. There is an oppression that comes on good men from the worldly men. This is also vanity, and vexation of spirit; whether it be understood in the one sense or the other; how dissatisfying and vexatious is it, when a man has taken a great deal of pains to do right works for public good, instead of having thanks and praise, is reproached and calumniated for it? wisdom and knowledge and Kishron. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/ecclesiastes-4.html. Prosperity, which men so much covet, is the very source of provoking oppression (Ecclesiastes 4:1) and “envy,” so far is it from constituting the chief good. Eccl. "Commentary on Ecclesiastes 4:4". ECCLES 4:5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. Solomon is speaking here, as if that life was not breathed into him, and he was a baby who never lived. 1905. Waddey's comment on this paragraph: "In a godless world, sinners envy and resent another's success, rather than rejoicing in it; and in contrast he mentions the lazy fool who, rather than work, `foldeth his hands together' in rest, and `eateth his own flesh,' he consumes his inheritance. In Isaiah 11:13, קנאת אפרים is the jealousy felt by Ephraim of Judah, who was preferred: in Ecclesiastes 9:6, of this book, envy is conjoined with hatred. I just seems that whenever we get something really nice, someone tries to shoot us down or find a flaw in our selection. BibliographyBullinger, Ethelbert William. We buy a new car, home, etc…, only to find someone trying to find fault with our choice. The coming day will burn them up,” says the Lord who rules over all. 1685. ", "For this a man is envied of his neighbor" (Ecclesiastes 4:4). 1999. But it does not seem to matter who we are. The principal passage is Proverbs 6:9-11 : "How long wilt thou lie, O sluggard? https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/ecclesiastes-4.html. Cela aussi est une vanité et un tourment d'esprit. He had never come to the Light. here and in Ecclesiastes 2:21 by ἀνδρέα, virtus. Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Sowing Discord Contributed by James Dina on Aug 7, 2020 | 698 views. and ruin themselves. But idleness is a sin that is its own punishment. 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. In order to avoid envy we may not throw ourselves into the arms of inactivity. 1999-2014. travail = toil, as connected with trouble, sorrow. That for this a man is envied of his neighbour. I believe that many of us have experienced the above. Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the … 4:12b). https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/ecclesiastes-4.html. the min in mere'ehu is as in amatz min , Psalms 18:18, and the like - the same as the compar. Other people become famous and they have many friends. 4:9-12 This paragraph speaks of the advantage of companionship. Based Ecc. Now the focus and effect of the Fall are reduced. Ecclésiaste 4:4 J'ai vu aussi que tout travail et toute habileté dans le travail n'est que jalousie de l'un à l'égard de l'autre. Verses 4-6. Copyright StatementThe Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament is a derivative of a public domain electronic edition. Again I considered all travail — Hebrew כל עמל, all the labour, toil, or trouble, which men undertake or undergo; and every right work — All the worthy designs of virtuous men; that for this a man is envied of his neighbour — Instead of that honour and recompense which he deserves, he meets with nothing but envy, and obloquy, and many evil fruits thereof. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/ecclesiastes-4.html. "[5] Another view of the fool mentioned here is that he represents the envious man. Copyright StatementThese files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text scanned by Woodside Bible Fellowship.This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-Brown Commentary is in the public domain and may be freely used and distributed. But the remark here is of activity and skill now at work, so that jealousy is the true word. 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 4:8 used in Eccl. The Ecclesiastes 4: 1 Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and, behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. "Commentary on Ecclesiastes 4:4". Ecclésiaste 4.4. It so, then the workaholic and the sluggard are contrasted. "Some understand the meaning of this verse as a description of work which is the effect of rivalry with a neighbor. It aggravates the baseness of the envy, that it is on the part of one's own neighbour. The word rendered "right" is kishron (see on Ecclesiastes 2:21), and means rather "dexterity," "success." (translation: French: Louis Segond (1910)) (13-16) The vanity of fame and its short life. This too is vanity and striving after wind.". "Mark Dunagan Commentaries on the Bible". Every right work; all the worthy designs and complete works of wise and virtuous men. 5 The a fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. BibliographyBeza, Theodore. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/heg/ecclesiastes-4.html. 1854-1889. This too is vanity and striving after wind. “And I saw all the labour and all the skill of business, that it is an envious surpassing of the one by the other: also this is vain and windy effort.” The היא refers to this exertion of vigorous effort and skill. Ver. “It 3 will not leave even a root or branch. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and there was no one to comfort them.+ And their oppressors had the power, and there was no one to comfort them. BibliographyKeil, Carl Friedrich & Delitzsch, Franz. ; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David. BibliographyTorrey, R. A. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/ecclesiastes-4.html. But instead thereof, so it is. כשרון is employed in the sense of "skill, ability," here also.—That this is the envy of a man from his neighbour:—the end of the whole matter is that a man is envied by his neighbour; Vulgate, "eum patere invidae proximi."