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 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?
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- Ecclesiastes 3:18 Lit in my heart
- Ecclesiastes 3:19 Lit and they have one fate
- Ecclesiastes 3:22 Or reward
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
