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Ecclesiastes 3:15-4:3
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 3:15-4:3
New International Version
15 Whatever is has already been,(A)
and what will be has been before;(B)
and God will call the past to account.[a]
16 And I saw something else under the sun:
In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
17 I said to myself,
“God will bring into judgment(C)
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time to judge every deed.”(D)
18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.(E) 19 Surely the fate of human beings(F) is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[b]; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.(G) 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward(H) and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work,(I) because that is their lot.(J) For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness
4 Again I looked and saw all the oppression(K) that was taking place under the sun:
I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter.(L)
2 And I declared that the dead,(M)
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.(N)
3 But better than both
is the one who has never been born,(O)
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.(P)
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 3:15 Or God calls back the past
- Ecclesiastes 3:19 Or spirit
Ecclesiastes 3:15-4:3
King James Version
Ecclesiastes 3:15-4:3
King James Version
15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
4 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
New International Version (NIV) 
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