unfoldingWord_en_tn/ecc/04/04.md

# became the envy of one's neighbor

The word "envy" may be expressed as an adjective. Alternate translation: "made one's neighbor envious" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]])

# the envy of one's neighbor

possible meanings are 1) The neighbor envies the object his neighbor made, or 2) the neighbor envies the skills his neighbor has.

# vapor ... an attempt to shepherd the wind

These two phrases are both metaphors that emphasize the idea of things being useless and futile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]])

# vapor

"mist." The author speaks of things as being useless and meaningless as if they were vapor. See how you translated this in [Ecclesiastes 1:14](../01/14.md). Alternate translation: "as useless as vapor" or "meaningless" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# an attempt to shepherd the wind

The author speaks of everything that people do as being useless as if they were trying to control the wind. See how you translated this in [Ecclesiastes 1:14](../01/14.md). Alternate translation: "are as useless as trying to control the wind" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])