Ecclesiastes 4:4

Easy To Read Version

Then I thought, “Why do people work so hard?” I saw people try to succeed and be better than other people. Why? Because people are jealous. They don’t want other people to have more than they have. This is senseless. It is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [21]}

Cross References

Genesis 26:14

He had many flocks and herds of animals. He also had many slaves. All the Philistine people were jealous of him.

Genesis 31:1

One day, Jacob heard Laban’s sons talking. They said, “Jacob has taken everything that our father owned. Jacob has become rich—and he has taken all this wealth from our father.”

Proverbs 27:4

Anger is cruel and mean. It causes destruction. But jealousy is much worse.

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I looked at all the things done on earth, and I saw that it is all a waste of time. It is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [6]}

Ecclesiastes 1:17

I decided to learn how wisdom and knowledge are better than thinking foolish things. But I learned that trying to become wise is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [7]}

Ecclesiastes 2:21

A person can work hard using all his wisdom and knowledge and skill. But that person will die and other people will get the things he worked for. Those people did not do the work, but they will get everything. That makes me very sad. That is also not fair and is senseless.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

If a person does good and pleases God, then God will give that person wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But a person that sins will get only the work of gathering and carrying things. God takes from the bad person and gives to the good person. But all this work is useless. It is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [14]}

Ecclesiastes 4:16

Many, many people will follow this young man. But later, those same people will not like him. This is also senseless. It is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [22]}

Ecclesiastes 6:9

It is better to be happy with the things you have than to always want more and more. Always wanting more and more is useless. It is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [29]}

Matthew 27:18

Pilate knew that the people gave Jesus to him because the people were jealous.

Acts 7:9

“These fathers {\cf2\super [128]} became jealous of Joseph (their younger brother). They sold Joseph to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with Joseph.

James 4:5

Do you think the Scriptures {\cf2\super [19]} mean nothing? The Scriptures say, “The Spirit {\cf2\super [20]} that \{God\} made to live in us wants us only for himself.” {\cf2\super [21]}

1 John 3:12

Don’t be like Cain. {\cf2\super [10]} Cain belonged to the Evil One (the devil). Cain killed his brother \{Abel {\cf2\super [11]} \}. But why did Cain kill his brother? Because the things Cain did were evil, and the things his brother \{Abel\} did were good.