Ecclesiastes 4:4 - Revised Standard Version (RSV-CI)

Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

Then I saw that all painful effort in labor and all skill in work comes from man's rivalry with his neighbor. This is also vanity, a vain striving after the wind and a feeding on it.

American Standard Version (1901)

Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Common English Bible

I also observed that people work hard and become good at what they do only out of mutual envy. This too is pointless, just wind chasing.

Catholic Public Domain Version

Again, I was contemplating all the labors of men. And I took notice that their endeavors are open to the envy of their neighbor. And so, in this, too, there is emptiness and superfluous anxiety.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

Again I considered all the labours of men, and I remarked that their industries are exposed to the envy of their neighbour: so in this also there is vanity, and fruitless care.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 Cross References

Genesis 26:14

He had possessions of flocks and herds, and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him.

Genesis 31:1

Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father's; and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth.”

Proverbs 27:4

Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming; but who can stand before jealousy?

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I have seen everything that is done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 1:17

And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:21

because sometimes a man who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by a man who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

For to the man who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and heaping, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:16

there was no end of all the people; he was over all of them. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 6:11

The more words, the more vanity, and what is man the better?

Ecclesiastes 6:9

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Matthew 27:18

For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.

Acts 7:9

“And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him,

James 4:5

Or do you suppose it is in vain that the scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit which he has made to dwell in us”?

1 John 3:12

and not be like Cain who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.