Ecclesiastes 3:19
What does Ecclesiastes 3:19 mean?
A plain-English look at Ecclesiastes 3:19 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ecclesiastes 3:19 means
This verse explicitly draws a parallel between the fate of humans and animals: "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; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity." The Preacher emphasizes a shared physical mortality and the common experience of death. From an earthly perspective, both seemingly return to the same dust, leading him to declare that, in this respect, human life "is vanity"—meaning it lacks ultimate distinction or lasting profit when viewed solely from a temporal lens.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000For 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; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.
KJV
King James Version · 1611For 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901For 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; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862For an event <FI>is to<Fi> the sons of man, and an event <FI>is to<Fi> the beasts, even one event <FI>is<Fi> to them; as the death of this, so <FI>is<Fi> the death of that; and one spirit <FI>is<Fi> to all, and the advantage of man above the beast is nothing, for the whole <FI>is<Fi> vanity.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Therefore the death of man, and of beasts is one, and the condition of them both is equal: as man dieth, so they also die: all things breathe alike, and man hath nothing more than beast: all things are subject to vanity.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890For what befalleth the children of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, and they have all one breath; and man hath no pre-eminence above the beast: for all is vanity.
Context
This verse directly expands on the humbling purpose introduced in verse 18, providing the specific evidence for humanity's likeness to beasts in death. It lays out the shared fate of mortality in blunt terms, emphasizing the physical commonality. This sets the stage for the subsequent verse, which reinforces the return to dust, and for the challenging question about the spirit in verse 21, forcing the reader to confront human finitude.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 49:20
Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, Is like the beasts that perish.
- Psalms 104:29
Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; Thou takest away their breath, they die, And return to their dust.
- Job 14:10
But man dieth, and is laid low: Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
- 2 Samuel 14:14
For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God take away life, but deviseth means, that he that is banished be not an outcast from him.
- Psalms 39:5
Behold, thou hast made my daysas handbreadths; And my life-time is as nothing before thee: Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. [Selah
- Ecclesiastes 2:20
Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun.
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