Ecclesiastes 3:21

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth?

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

מִ֣י יוֹדֵ֗עַ ר֚וּחַ בְּנֵ֣י הָאָדָ֔ם הָעֹלָ֥ה הִ֖יא לְמָ֑עְלָה וְר֙וּחַ֙ הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה הַיֹּרֶ֥דֶת הִ֖יא לְמַ֥טָּה לָאָֽרֶץ׃

Transliteration

Who yôḏēaʿ rûaḥ bənê the-ʾāḏām the-ʿōlâ hîʾ to-māʿlâ wə-rûaḥ the-bəhēmâ the-yōreḏeṯ hîʾ to-maṭṭâ to-the-ʾāreṣ

Grammar Details

*mî*: interrogative pronoun - who
*yôḏēaʿ*: verb, qal active participle, masculine singular - knowing
*rûaḥ*: noun, feminine singular construct - spirit of
*bənê*: noun, masculine plural construct - sons of
*hā-ʾāḏām*: definite article + noun, masculine singular - the man/mankind
*hā-ʿōlâ*: definite article + verb, qal active participle, feminine singular - the ascending
*hîʾ*: personal pronoun, feminine singular - she/it
*lə*: preposition - to/toward
*māʿlâ*: noun, feminine singular - upward/above
*wə*: conjunction - and
*ha-bəhēmâ*: definite article + noun, feminine singular - the beast
*ha-yōreḏeṯ*: definite article + verb, qal active participle, feminine singular - the descending
*maṭṭâ*: noun, feminine singular - downward/below
*lā*: preposition - to
*ʾāreṣ*: noun, feminine singular - earth/land

Word Meanings

*yôḏēaʿ*: knowing/perceiving/understanding
*rûaḥ*: spirit/breath/wind
*bənê*: sons/children/descendants
*ʿōlâ*: ascending/going up/rising
*māʿlâ*: upward/above/on high
*bəhēmâ*: beast/animal/cattle
*yōreḏeṯ*: descending/going down
*maṭṭâ*: downward/below/beneath
*ʾāreṣ*: earth/land/ground

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Eccl 12:7 : 7 and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.
Luke 16:22-23 : 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom: and the rich man also died, and was buried. 23 And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
John 14:3 : 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.
Acts 1:25 : 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.
2 Cor 5:1 : 1 For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.
2 Cor 5:8 : 8 we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.
Phil 1:23 : 23 But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better:

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Eccl 3:18-20
3 verses
82%
18I said in my heart, [It is] because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are [but as] beasts.
19For 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.
20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Eccl 3:22
80%
22Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him [back] to see what shall be after him?
Eccl 6:10-12
3 verses
79%
10Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.
11Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12For who knoweth what is good for man in [his] life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Eccl 12:7-8
2 verses
77%
7and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.
8Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.
Eccl 2:19-22
4 verses
74%
19And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun.
21For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun?
Eccl 3:10-12
3 verses
74%
10I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
11He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.
12I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.
Eccl 8:7
73%
7for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?
Eccl 1:3
73%
3What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?
Job 34:14-15
2 verses
73%
14If he set his heart upon himself, [If] he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
15All flesh shall perish together, And man shall turn again unto dust.
Eccl 8:17
73%
17then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
Job 14:10
73%
10But man dieth, and is laid low: Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
Eccl 9:3
73%
3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.
1 Cor 2:11
72%
11For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save {G3361} the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save {G3361} the Spirit of God.
Job 20:4
71%
4Knowest thou [not] this of old time, Since man was placed upon earth,
Eccl 3:14
71%
14I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God hath done it, that men should fear before him.
Job 32:8
71%
8But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
Eccl 5:16
71%
16And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind?
Eccl 11:5
71%
5As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all.
Eccl 6:6
70%
6yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoy no good, do not all go to one place?
Eccl 1:5
70%
5The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.
Eccl 9:1
70%
1For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.
Job 7:17
70%
17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him, And that thou shouldest set thy mind upon him,
Eccl 9:10
70%
10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.
Eccl 2:24-26
3 verses
70%
24There is nothing better for a man [than] that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
26For to the man that pleaseth him [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Eccl 4:16
70%
16There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Eccl 2:11
70%
11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
Ps 144:3
70%
3Jehovah, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?
Isa 2:22
70%
22Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?
Ps 49:12
69%
12But man [being] in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish.
Job 28:13
69%
13Man knoweth not the price thereof; Neither is it found in the land of the living.
Eccl 4:3
69%
3yea, better than them both [did I esteem] him that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Prov 20:24
69%
24A man's goings are of Jehovah; How then can man understand his way?
Prov 20:27
69%
27The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah, Searching all his innermost parts.
Job 35:11
69%
11Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, And maketh us wiser than the birds of the heavens?
Eccl 8:14
69%
14There is a vanity which is done upon the earth, that there are righteous men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
Eccl 6:8
69%
8For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? [or] what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?
Eccl 1:13
69%
13And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.