And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(A)

Fools fold their hands(B)
    and ruin themselves.
Better one handful with tranquillity
    than two handfuls with toil(C)
    and chasing after the wind.

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Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

“Fools fold their idle hands,
    leading them to ruin.”

And yet,

“Better to have one handful with quietness
    than two handfuls with hard work
    and chasing the wind.”

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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.

The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

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