Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 3:18–21

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. ²⁰All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.

²¹Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth?

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

Ecclesiastes 3:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
All	הַכֹּ֥ל	hak·kōl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
go	הוֹלֵ֖ךְ	hō·w·lêḵ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
one	אֶחָ֑ד	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
place	מָק֣וֹם	mā·qō·wm	Noun - masculine singular	H4725 standing, spot, condition
all	הַכֹּל֙	hak·kōl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
come	הָיָ֣ה	hā·yāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
from	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
dust	הֶֽעָפָ֔ר	he·‘ā·p̄ār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6083 dry earth, dust
and all	וְהַכֹּ֖ל	wə·hak·kōl	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
return	שָׁ֥ב	šāḇ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
dust	הֶעָפָֽר׃	he·‘ā·p̄ār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6083 dry earth, dust

Ecclesiastes 3:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Who	מִ֣י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
knows	יוֹדֵ֗עַ	yō·w·ḏê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3045 know
if the spirit	ר֚וּחַ	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of man	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
rises	הָעֹלָ֥ה	hā·‘ō·lāh	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
upward	לְמָ֑עְלָה	lə·mā·‘ə·lāh	Preposition-l; Adverb; third person feminine singular	H4605 higher part
and the spirit	וְר֙וּחַ֙	wə·rū·aḥ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of the animal	הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה	hab·bə·hê·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H929 beast, animal, cattle
descends	הַיֹּרֶ֥דֶת	hay·yō·re·ḏeṯ	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H3381 come or go down, descend
into the earth	לָאָֽרֶץ׃	lā·’ā·reṣ	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land