Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
New American Standard Bible
18 I said [a]to myself regarding the sons of mankind, “God is testing them in order for them to see that they are as (A)animals, they to themselves.” 19 (B)For the fate of the sons of mankind and the fate of animals [b]is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath, and there is no advantage for mankind over animals, for all is futility. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the (C)dust and all return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the (D)spirit of the sons of mankind ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that (E)nothing is better than when a person is happy in his activities, for that is his [c]lot. For who will bring him to see (F)what will occur after him?
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 3:18 Lit in my heart
- Ecclesiastes 3:19 Lit and they have one fate
- Ecclesiastes 3:22 Or reward
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?
Read full chapterNew American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
