Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 3:18–19

¹⁸I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.” ¹⁹For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other — they all have the same breath.^a Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile.

Footnotes

a 3:19 Or spirit

Read all of Ecclesiastes 3

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Ecclesiastes 3:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I	אֲנִי֙	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
said	אָמַ֤רְתִּֽי	’ā·mar·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
to myself	בְּלִבִּ֔י	bə·lib·bî	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
As for	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the sons	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of men	הָאָדָ֔ם	hā·’ā·ḏām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
God	הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
tests them	לְבָרָ֖ם	lə·ḇā·rām	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H1305 purify, select
so that they may see	וְלִרְא֕וֹת	wə·lir·’ō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7200 see
for themselves	שְׁהֶם־	šə·hem-	Pronoun - relative; Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
that they	הֵ֖מָּה	hêm·māh	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
are but beasts	בְּהֵמָ֥ה	bə·hê·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H929 beast, animal, cattle

Ecclesiastes 3:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּי֩	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the fates	מִקְרֶ֨ה	miq·reh	Noun - masculine singular	H4745 accident, chance, fortune
of	הָאָדָ֜ם	hā·’ā·ḏām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
beasts	הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה	hab·bə·hê·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H929 beast, animal, cattle
are the same	אֶחָד֙	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
As one	זֶה֙	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
dies	כְּמ֥וֹת	kə·mō·wṯ	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4194 death
so	כֵּ֣ן	kên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
dies	מ֣וֹת	mō·wṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4194 death
the other	זֶ֔ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
they all	לַכֹּ֑ל	lak·kōl	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
have the same	אֶחָ֖ד	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
breath	וְר֥וּחַ	wə·rū·aḥ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
Man	הָאָדָ֤ם	hā·’ā·ḏām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
has no	אָ֔יִן	’ā·yin	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
advantage	וּמוֹתַ֨ר	ū·mō·w·ṯar	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4195 gain, superiority
over	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the animals	הַבְּהֵמָה֙	hab·bə·hê·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H929 beast, animal, cattle
since	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
everything	הַכֹּ֖ל	hak·kōl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
is futile	הָֽבֶל׃	hā·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ecclesiastes 3:18 Psalm 73:22 · Psalm 49:12 · Hebrews 9:27 · 2 Peter 2:12 · Genesis 3:17–19 · 1 Peter 1:24 · Romans 9:23 · Psalm 73:18–19 · Psalm 90:5–12 · Psalm 49:14 · Job 40:8 · Romans 3:4

Ecclesiastes 3:19 Psalm 49:12 · Psalm 49:20 · Job 14:10–12 · Ecclesiastes 2:20–23 · Psalm 89:47–48 · Psalm 39:5–6 · Ecclesiastes 2:14

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.