Ecclesiastes 4:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

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.

Every, etc

This is

Genesis 37:4

General references

Ecclesiastes 1:2

Ecclesiastes 6:11

Ecclesiastes 12:8

Bible References

Every, etc

And Abel gave an offering of the young lambs of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord was pleased with Abel's offering;

These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph, a boy seventeen years old, was looking after the flock, together with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph gave their father a bad account of them.

And Saul was very angry and this saying was unpleasing to him; and he said, They have given David credit for tens of thousands, and to me for only thousands: what more is there for him but the kingdom?

Wrath is cruel, and angry feeling an overflowing stream; but who does not give way before envy?

For he saw that for envy they had given him up.

And the brothers, moved with envy against Joseph, gave him to the Egyptians for money: but God was with him,

Or does it seem to you that it is for nothing that the holy Writings say, The spirit which God put into our hearts has a strong desire for us?

Not being of the Evil One like Cain, who put his brother to death. And why did he put him to death? Because his works were evil and his brother's works were good.

This is

There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.

Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.

What the eyes see is better than the wandering of desire. This is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

And because his brothers saw that Joseph was dearer to his father than all the others, they were full of hate for him, and would not say a kind word to him.

General references

All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.

There are words without number for increasing what is to no purpose, but what is man profited by them?

All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.