good (as an adjective) in the widest sense · adjective, masculine singular absolute
handful
כַ֖ףkhaf
H3709
the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal · noun, common feminine singular construct
quietness
נָ֑חַתNa.chat
H5183
a descent · noun, common feminine singular absolute
hands
חָפְנַ֛יִםcha.fe.Na.yim
H2651
a fist (only in the dual) · noun, common masculine dual absolute
full
מְלֹ֥אme.Lo'
H4393
fulness (literally or figuratively) · noun, common masculine singular construct
travail
עָמָ֖ל'a.Mal
H5999
toil · noun, common both genders singular absolute
vexation
וּרְע֥וּתu.re.'Ut
H7469
a feeding upon · conjunction + noun, common feminine singular construct
spirit
רֽוּחַRu.ach
H7307
wind · noun, common feminine singular absolute
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Proverbs 15:16-17 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
Psalms 37:16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
Proverbs 17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 4:4-6
Here Solomon returns to the observation and consideration of the vanity and vexation of spirit that attend the business of this world, which he had spoken of before, Ecc 2:11.
I. If a man be acute, and dexterous, and successful in his business, he gets the ill-will of his neighbours, Ecc 4:4. Though he takes a great deal of pains, and goes through all travail, does not get his estate easily, but it costs him a great deal of hard labour, nor does he get it dishonestly, he wrongs no man, defrauds no man, but by every right work, by applying himself to his own proper business, and managing it by all the rules of equity and fair dealing, yet for this he is envied of his neighbour, and the more f…
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" (Ecc 4:5), also opposed to anxious labor to gain (Ecc 4:8; Pro 15:16-17; Pro 16:8).
John Gill on Ecclesiastes 4:6
Better is a handful with quietness,.... 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
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 trav…
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 Ecc 4:5 as the objection of the industrious, and Ecc 4:6 as the reply of the slothful. Zckler agrees with Hitz., and lapses into the hypothesis of a dialogue otherwise rejected by him. As everywhere, so also here it preserves the unity of the combination of thoughts. 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…
The Church Fathers
The "chasing after wind," I believe, refers to the will of the soul caught up with passions. That is why a handful of virtue is better than two handfuls of wickedness, ignorance and "chasing after wind." … It is as if someone said it is better to learn contemplation of one spiritual thing than to have numerous visions of foolish wisdom.
"Better is one handful of pleasantness than two fistfuls of labour and vexation of the spirit." It is better to have modest power, than great riches of sins. And in Proverbs it says, "To receive a little through righteousness is better than gaining much by injustice." [Prov. 16, 8.] Justice rightly has rest, injustice toil. And since a single number is always seen in a good context and a dual seen as wickedness, therefore one fist has rest, and two hands are full of toil.
And therefore it is better for us with unbroken continuance to aim at this very slender profit in the desert, from which no secular cares, no worldly distractions, no pride of vainglory and vanity can detract, and which the pressure of no daily wants can lessen (for "a small thing that the righteous hath is better than great riches of the ungodly") rather than to pursue those larger profits which even if they are procured by the most valuable conversion of many, are yet absorbed by the claims of secular life and the daily leakage of distractions. For, as Solomon says, "Better is a single handful with rest than both hands full with labour and vexation of mind." And in these allusions and inconveniences all that are at all weak are sure to be entangled, as while they are even doubtful of their own salvation, and themselves stand in need of the teaching and instruction of others, they are incited by the devil's tricks to convert and guide others, and as, even if they succeed in gaining any advantage from the conversion of some, they waste by their impatience and rude manners whatever they have gained.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Poor · UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO — UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
Poverty · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Zerubbabel · Prophecies relating to — Prophecies relating to
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
Fools do not even try to succeed and end up impoverished. Others frantically devote two handfuls—all their time and effort—to hard work in pursuit of fleeting wealth that they will have no time to enjoy (cp. Prov 23:4-5). Wise people practice moderation and contentment (quietness).
Rashi on Ecclesiastes 4:6
Better is a handful [earned] in contentment. To acquire few possessions, but with his toil, so that his Creator should have satisfaction from them.
Than two handfuls [earned]. Many possessions [acquired] through sin,13Alternatively, the verse refers to giving charity, i.e., better a lesser amount given to a poor person but with a pleasant demeanor, than giving twice as much, but causing the poor man to feel uncomfortable. (Nachal Eshkol) which is toil and grief to the Omnipresent.
