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18 I said in my heart concerning the sons of men, “God is testing them in order for them to see that they are but (A)beasts.” 19 (B)For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same fate for each of them. As one dies so dies the other, and they all have the same breath. So there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is [a]vanity. 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)breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that (E)nothing is better than that man should be glad in his works, for that is his portion. For who will bring him to see (F)what will occur after him?

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:19 Or futility

18 I said to myself, “This happens so that God may test the children of Adam and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.”(A) 19 For the fate of the children of Adam and the fate of animals is the same.(B) As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile. 20 All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.(C) 21 Who knows if the spirits of the children of Adam go upward and the spirits of animals go downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities(D) because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?[a](E)

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Footnotes

  1. 3:22 Lit after him