הַכְּסִיל֙ חֹבֵ֣ק אֶת־יָדָ֔יו וְאֹכֵ֖ל אֶת־בְּשָׂרֹֽו׃
(Ecclesiastes 4:5)
The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.
Word-by-Word Explanation
- הַכְּסִיל — “the fool.” Definite article הַ + noun כְּסִיל (“fool, dullard, senseless one”).
- חֹבֵק — “folds / embraces.” Qal participle masculine singular from חבק (“to embrace, fold”). Here describing an ongoing or habitual action.
- אֶת־יָדָיו — “his hands.” Direct object marker אֶת + noun יָד (“hand”) in plural + suffix -ָיו (“his”).
- וְאֹכֵל — “and eats.” Qal participle masculine singular from אָכַל (“to eat, consume”). Parallel participle to חֹבֵק, showing two actions of the same subject.
- אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ — “his flesh.” Direct object marker אֶת + noun בָּשָׂר (“flesh, body”) + suffix -וֹ (“his”).
Word Order and Sentence Flow
The verse has two balanced halves:
- הַכְּסִיל חֹבֵק אֶת־יָדָיו — “The fool folds his hands.”
- וְאֹכֵל אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ — “and eats his own flesh.”
This pairing paints a vivid picture: idleness (folding hands) leads to self-destruction (consuming oneself). Grammatically, the two participles (חֹבֵק, אֹכֵל) describe a habitual pattern rather than a one-time event.
Parallelism Chart
| First Action | Second Action |
|---|---|
| חֹבֵק אֶת־יָדָיו folds his hands |
וְאֹכֵל אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ and eats his flesh |
How the Sentence Works (Beginner’s View)
- Participles as present/habitual: Both verbs are participles, describing what the fool does as his way of life.
- Direct object marker: אֶת shows clearly who or what is acted on (“his hands,” “his flesh”).
- Poetic irony: Folding hands (sign of laziness) leads to “eating his flesh” (figuratively, self-destruction).
What This Verse Just Taught You
In this single line, you learned how Hebrew uses participles to express ongoing habits, how suffixes mark possession, and how parallelism creates biting imagery. The fool’s laziness isn’t neutral — it turns inward, consuming him. By following the grammar, you’ve seen how Hebrew paints a whole moral lesson with just a handful of words.
“Strange images in Hebrew often hide simple lessons about grammar — every word you unlock brings you closer to fluency.”
