The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. How?

Question

Ecclesiastes 4:5

The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.

What does this mean?

Answer 1

The Hebrew translated today would read something to the effect

‘The fool crosses his arms and self consumes’

The idea is not meant to convey he is ingesting his own flesh but that given he is unwilling to open himself up to alternatives views, or exploring the whole story, he stubbornly believes his shortsighted view (most likely incorrect due to the fact that it lacks all the details) and begins to consume himself with the implications and hypothetical consequences of assumed conclusion. This (can) leads to a shut down of his physical body but at a minimum he is consumed mentally by the thought and processes all his interactions through his assumption.

In the extreme this can be likened to the nocebo effect (opposite to the placebo effect). This phenomenon in the medical field refers to a person who upon hearing that he is terminally ill (though not true) begins to shut down. The body burns itself out, if this is not remedied within a very short time span the person dies. This is well documented. Many patients who were told erroneously they had cancer and did not, in their autopsy were found to have no cancer yet still died though perfectly healthy. The body consumed itself as a result of negative (incorrect) information.

In the same way a fool who shuts himself off and refuses to explore and validate his own convictions, consumes himself. Often times becoming bitter, resentful and angry which can lead to a premature death, even if it’s years later. They tend to have a miserable, unhappy and resentful existence.

Conclusion

The morale of the story is not to be a fool who shuts himself off in his own ignorance, telling himself he is right and being consumed by the natural consequences of his erroneous assumed conclusions.

Unforgiving

The other aspect involves unforgiving. A fool who crosses his arms, refusing to forgive those who trespass against him, experiences the above consequences.

Answer 2

The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. How? Ecclesiastes 4:5

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 NASB

4 I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind. 5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. 6 One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

In the above verses, King Solomon addressed two extremes, in verse 4 he says that ceaseless hard work is vanity and striving after the wind. In verse five he says:The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh, yes the sluggish, lazy one, folds his hands that can bring one to poverty and even endanger his health, and even his life. In verse 6 recommends a balance, for his hard work a person should take time periodically to enjoy what he has earned:

Ecclesiastes 2:24 NET

Enjoy Work and its Benefits

24 There is nothing better for[a] people[b] than[c] to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment[d] in their[e] work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment[f] comes from God.[g]

Answer 3

The fool foldeth his hands together and eats his own flesh.

I think "eateth his own flesh", means you self-destruct when you refuse to labor and are inactive. I think the "folding of the hands" means slothfulness and idle hands.

The folding of the hands is also mentioned in Prov 6:10: Yet a little sleep , a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

The proverbs spoke alot of the slothful . Proverbs 21:25 : "The desire of the slothful killeth him, For his hands refuse to labor. " Solomon spoke alot about The foolishness of not working and also the emptiness of too much work as "a chasing after the wind." In the next verse, Ecc 4:6 he contrasts the previous verse about no work with a reference to too much work by saying: "Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit."

He is warning that if you are working simply to have more, i.e. ,"with both hands full," it may disquiet your life and vex your spirit. He wants you to work, but to enjoy your labor and take time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. You can't usually enjoy the fruits if you are overworked. And if it is only to have both hands full with more luxuries, you will have to spend more time taking care of all these things and have even less rest. Your work and its fruits are the gift of God., Ecc 4:13.

I agree with the other assessments that it is about work life balance and also can be about shutting down and even avoidance. Sometimes we want to leave the "rat race"and stop striving for the wind, but we have to be careful not to go to the opposite extreme and just "tune in and drop out" like they did in the 60's. We have to stop "vegging" out in front of the t.v. We have to plow whatever God puts before us and try to enjoy our labor and the fruits of it. Sometimes we are inactive out of fear and negativity and depression. We dont think we are qualified for alot of jobs or we think we are overqualified for menial work. If we dont get busy , the roof will fall through. Ecc10:18: "By much slothfulness the building decayeth and through idleness of the hands , the house drops through." Thus we can destroy ourselves.

Our health can be destroyed too through inactivity also. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon mentions the ant alot and other busy animals that work hard and store up for the lean times. He stresses the importance of being industrious. In Proverbs Ch 31, The Prov 31 woman didnt punch a clock but she did work out to gird her loins and arms with strength. She planted a vineyard, she made and sold things. This is not always possible with small children or if you are very old, but we all must try to be busy. We must not numb ourselves with alcohol or drugs, or legal pot. We will destroy our own flesh. Prov 23:21 ,"For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags." All labor is honorable and we must find balance between chasing too hard after riches and not chasing money at all!

Stress from chasing after money too hard can also cause us to self- destruct or "eat our own flesh." 1Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred (or been seduced by) from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Thus the Scriptures warn us that no work or not enough work; or too sedentary a lifestyle; is self destructive. Too much working can steal our peace and stress us out and possibly cause our early demise. Find balance. Enjoy your labor and take time to enjoy its fruits. It's a good thing. It is the gift of God!

Answer 4

I found this site and these postings today because last night God highlighted the verse for me in a dream. In the dream a person was talking about Ecclesiastes 4:5 - I had no idea what the verse was so I looked it up in the morning and I knew it was relevant to my current situation but I was puzzled about the true meaning of it.

I thought the first reply about closing ourselves off to new information was very interesting. I also like how the later post attempted to tie together that interpretation to the more standard interpretation from proverbs about sloth. It think that's how God's word works - there can be many levels of interpretation depending on where we are in our life and where we are in our faith walk. The different interpretations often relate and build upon one another. It sounds right to me that there is a kind of slothfulness in play when a person is not open to new ideas, and is unteachable - especially when the one trying to teach us and open our mind is God.

In my situation I went through a period where my health deteriorated and I was at the point where it was difficult for me to work hard or to enjoy the fruits of my labor and have some fun time. It have realized that it takes some effort and energy even to do the fun things and truly enjoy rest. The post above that talks about how people can actually have deteriorating health due to a belief that they are dying was extremely interesting and relevant. Basically what that's saying is that if you have faith in disease and death, then it will overtake you. I think the other side of that is that if you have faith in life and health, then life and health will overtake you. I know that there is some victim blaming and shaming that could happen with this direction of thinking so I sense a kind of warning that it must be handled with care. But I also think there is great truth to it - this is the power of faith. We must trust God that he is a healer and a miracle worker - even when we don't immediately get the exact miracle that we might have imagined. I think the Covid spirit attacked all of us in this way, it somehow instilled a deep-seated faith in disease and fear, and a kind of belief that says that the only way to survive is to be isolated from each other. God's word says the opposite - that the only way to receive abundant life is to abide in Love - his love and love for others.

And so I declare right now over our nation and over the world that the spirit of Covid is the spirit of the enemy, and the Spirit of the living God is greater and more powerful than that spirit, and will overcome it. Jesus is leading us to victory, and we already have victory if we will realize it and be open to His teaching and His care. We will have a balance of joy in our labor, and in our rest and our relationships. Praise God, amen!