Parallel Verses

NET Bible

Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind.

New American Standard Bible

One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

King James Version

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

Holman Bible

Better one handful with rest
than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.

International Standard Version

It's better to have one handful of tranquility than to have two handfuls of trouble and to chase after the wind.

American Standard Version

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.

Amplified

One hand full of rest and patience is better than two fists full of labor and chasing after the wind.

Bible in Basic English

One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.

Darby Translation

Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with labour and pursuit of the wind.

Julia Smith Translation

Good a hand filled with rest, above two hands full of labor and striving of spirit.

King James 2000

Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with toil and grasping for the wind.

Lexham Expanded Bible

Better [is] one handful with peace than two fists full with toil and chasing wind.

Modern King James verseion

Better is a hand filled with rest than two fists with travail and vexation of spirit.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

"One handful," sayeth he, "is better with rest, than both the hands full with labor and travail."

New Heart English Bible

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

The Emphasized Bible

Better a handful - with quietness, - than both hands, full - with toil, and feeding on wind.

Webster

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

World English Bible

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

Youngs Literal Translation

Better is a handful with quietness, than two handfuls with labour and vexation of spirit.'

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
is an handful
כּף 
Kaph 
Usage: 192

with quietness
נחת 
Nachath 
Usage: 8

חפן 
Chophen 
Usage: 6

מלו מלוא מלא 
M@lo' 
Usage: 37

and vexation
רעוּת 
R@`uwth 
Usage: 7

References

Context Readings

People Need Balance In Their Approach To Labor

5 The fool folds his hands and does no work, so he has nothing to eat but his own flesh. 6 Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind. 7 So I again considered another futile thing on earth:

Cross References

Proverbs 15:16-17

Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth and turmoil with it.

Proverbs 16:8

Better to have a little with righteousness than to have abundant income without justice.

Psalm 37:16

The little bit that a godly man owns is better than the wealth of many evil men,

Proverbs 17:1

Better is a dry crust of bread where there is quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain