Ecclesiastes 4:4
Ecclesiastes · קהלת · Ketuvim · 12 chapters · 222 verses
Values above are for the complete verse (19 words), calculated on the consonantal written text.
וְשַׁבֵּחַ אֲנִי אֶת־הַמֵּתִים שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ מִן־הַחַיִּים אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה חַיִּים עֲדֶֽנָה
Wherefore I praised the dead that are already dead more than the living that are yet alive;
וְטוֹב מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר־עֲדֶן לֹא הָיָה אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־רָאָה אֶת־הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הָרָע אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה תַּחַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ
but better than they both is he that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
וְרָאִיתִֽי אֲנִי אֶת־כָּל־עָמָל וְאֵת כָּל־כִּשְׁרוֹן הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה כִּי הִיא קִנְאַת־אִישׁ מֵרֵעֵהוּ גַּם־זֶה הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רֽוּחַ
Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man’s rivalry with his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
הַכְּסִיל חֹבֵק אֶת־יָדָיו וְאֹכֵל אֶת־בְּשָׂרֽוֹ
The fool foldeth his hands together, And eateth his own flesh.
טוֹב מְלֹא כַף נָחַת מִמְּלֹא חָפְנַיִם עָמָל וּרְעוּת רֽוּחַ
Better is a handful of quietness, Than both the hands full of labour and striving after wind.