Ecc 4:5 | NETfull | STEP | The fool folds his hands and does no work, so he has nothing to eat but his own flesh.

Ecclesiastes 4:5

5 The fool folds his hands and does no work, ^{▼▼ Heb “the fool folds his hands.” The Hebrew idiom means that he does not work (e.g., Prov 6:10; 24:33). In the translation the words “and does no work” (which do not appear in the Hebrew text) have been supplied following the idiom to clarify what is meant.}
so he has nothing to eat but his own flesh. ^{▼▼ Heb “and eats his own flesh.” Most English versions render the idiom literally: “and eats/consumes his flesh” (KJV, AS, NASB, NAB, RSV, NRSV, NJPS). However, a few versions attempt to explain the idiom: “and lets life go to ruin” (Moffatt), “and wastes away” (NEB), “and ruins himself” (NIV).}