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Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
English Standard Version
18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but (A)beasts. 19 (B)For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.[a] 20 All go to one place. All are from (C)the dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether (D)the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is (E)nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for (F)that is his lot. Who can bring him to see (G)what will be after him?
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- Ecclesiastes 3:19 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
New International Version
18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.(A) 19 Surely the fate of human beings(B) is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[a]; 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.(C) 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward(D) 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,(E) because that is their lot.(F) For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 3:19 Or spirit
Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
King James Version
Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
King James Version
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?
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Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
New King James Version
18 I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.” 19 (A)For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place: (B)all are from the dust, and all return to dust. 21 (C)Who[a] knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? 22 (D)So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for (E)that is his [b]heritage. (F)For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 3:21 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. Who knows whether the spirit . . . goes upward, and whether . . . goes downward to the earth?
- Ecclesiastes 3:22 portion or lot
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.