Ecclesiastes 3:19
For the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over animals, for everything is meaningless.
Additional Resources
Other Translations
King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)
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; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
KJV1611 – Modern English
For that which befalls the sons of men also befalls beasts; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other; yes, they all have one breath; so that a man has no advantage over a beast: for all is vanity.
King James Version 1611 (Original)
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; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers
For that which befalleth{H4745} the sons{H1121} of men{H120} befalleth{H4745} beasts;{H929} even one thing{H259} befalleth{H4745} them: as the one dieth,{H4194} so dieth{H4194} the other;{H2088} yea, they have all one{H259} breath;{H7307} and man{H120} hath no preeminence{H4195} above the beasts:{H929} for all is vanity.{H1892}
King James Version with Strong's Numbers
For that which befalleth{H4745} the sons{H1121} of men{H120} befalleth{H4745} beasts{H929}; even one thing{H259} befalleth{H4745} them: as the one dieth{H4194}, so dieth{H4194} the other{H2088}; yea, they have all one{H259} breath{H7307}; so that a man{H120} hath no preeminence{H4195} above a beast{H929}: for all is vanity{H1892}.
Coverdale Bible (1535)
for it happeneth vnto men as it doth vnto beastes, & as the one dyeth, so dyeth ye other: yee they haue both one maner of breth, so yt (in this) a man hath no preemynence aboue a beest, but all are subdued vnto vanite.
Geneva Bible (1560)
For the condition of the children of men, and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition vnto them. As the one dyeth, so dyeth the other: for they haue all one breath, and there is no excellency of man aboue ye beast: for all is vanitie.
Bishops' Bible (1568)
For it happeneth vnto men as it doth vnto beastes, euen one condition vnto them both: as the one dyeth so dyeth the other, yea they haue both one maner of breath: so that in this a man hath no preeminence aboue a beast, but are all subdued vnto vanitie.
Authorized King James Version (1611)
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; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all [is] vanity.
Webster's Bible (1833)
For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.
Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)
For an event `is to' the sons of man, and an event `is to' the beasts, even one event `is' to them; as the death of this, so `is' the death of that; and one spirit `is' to all, and the advantage of man above the beast is nothing, for the whole `is' vanity.
American Standard Version (1901)
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.
American Standard Version (1901)
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.
Bible in Basic English (1941)
Because 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.
World English Bible (2000)
For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.
NET Bible® (New English Translation)
For the fate of humans and the fate of animals are the same: As one dies, so dies the other; both have the same breath. There is no advantage for humans over animals, for both are fleeting.
Referenced Verses
- Ps 49:12 : 12 Their inward thought is that their houses will last forever, and their dwelling places for all generations; they call their lands by their own names.
- Ps 49:20 : 20 They will go to the generation of their fathers; they will never see the light again.
- Ps 89:47-48 : 47 How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath keep burning like fire? 48 Remember how fleeting my life is; for what futility have you created all humanity!
- Ps 92:6-7 : 6 How great are Your works, O LORD! How profound are Your thoughts! 7 A senseless person does not know, and a fool does not understand this:
- Ps 104:29 : 29 When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.
- Eccl 2:14 : 14 The wise have eyes in their heads, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate overtakes them both.
- Eccl 2:16 : 16 For the wise, like the fool, will not be remembered forever; in the days to come, everything will be forgotten. How does the wise person die? Just like the fool!
- Eccl 2:20-23 : 20 So I turned my heart to despair over all the hard work with which I had labored under the sun. 21 For there is a person who labors with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, but then must leave everything to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a person gain from all their labor and from the striving of their heart under the sun? 23 All their days are full of sorrow, and their work is filled with grief; even at night their mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.
- 2 Sam 14:14 : 14 We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away life, but devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from Him.
- Job 14:10-12 : 10 But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last and where is he? 11 As the waters of a lake dry up or a riverbed becomes parched and dry, 12 so man lies down and does not rise; till the heavens are no more, people will not awake or be roused from their sleep.
- Ps 39:5-6 : 5 LORD, let me know my end and the number of my days, so I may understand how fleeting my life is. 6 Behold, You have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before You. Surely, every man is but a breath. Selah.
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- Eccl 3:20-223 verses87%
20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.
21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down to the earth?
22 So I saw that there is nothing better than for a person to rejoice in their work, for that is their lot. Who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
- 86%
18 I said in my heart concerning the matter of the sons of man, that God is testing them to show them that they are like animals.
- Eccl 9:1-55 verses79%
1 So I reflected on all this and set my heart to examine it: that the righteous, the wise, and their deeds are in the hand of God. People do not know whether love or hatred awaits them; everything lies before them.
2 Everything happens alike to everyone: the same fate comes to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the pure and the impure, to those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As with the good person, so with the sinner; as with those who swear oaths, so with those who avoid them.
3 This is the distressing thing about everything that happens under the sun: the same fate befalls all. Moreover, the hearts of humans are full of evil, and madness resides in their hearts during their lives; and after that, they join the dead.
4 Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better than a dead lion!
5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their memory is forgotten.
- Eccl 6:10-123 verses78%
10 Whatever exists has already been given its name, and it is known what mankind is; no one can contend with someone who is stronger.
11 The more words, the more meaningless—and what advantage does that bring to anyone?
12 For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few days of their fleeting life? They pass like a shadow. Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?
- 77%
12 Their inward thought is that their houses will last forever, and their dwelling places for all generations; they call their lands by their own names.
- Eccl 12:7-82 verses77%
7 And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 'Utter futility,' says the Teacher. 'Everything is futile!'
- 76%
15 all flesh would perish together, and mankind would return to dust.
- Eccl 1:2-32 verses76%
2 “Utterly meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
3 What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?
- 76%
16 There is no end to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
- 75%
19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will rule over all the fruit of my labor that I have worked for under the sun. This too is meaningless.
- Eccl 2:15-173 verses75%
15 Then I said in my heart, 'What happens to the fool will also happen to me. So why have I been so very wise?' And I concluded in my heart, 'This too is meaningless.'
16 For the wise, like the fool, will not be remembered forever; in the days to come, everything will be forgotten. How does the wise person die? Just like the fool!
17 So I hated life, because the work done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
- 75%
14 I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun; they are all meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
- 75%
14 There is a futility that takes place on the earth: righteous people receive what the wicked deserve, and wicked people receive what the righteous deserve. I said, 'This too is vanity.'
- 74%
11 Yet when I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, behold, everything was meaningless—a chasing after the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.
- 74%
9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
- 73%
16 Throughout his days, he eats in darkness, with great frustration, sickness, and anger.
- Eccl 2:21-244 verses73%
21 For there is a person who labors with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, but then must leave everything to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.
22 What does a person gain from all their labor and from the striving of their heart under the sun?
23 All their days are full of sorrow, and their work is filled with grief; even at night their mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.
24 There is nothing better for a person than to eat and drink and find enjoyment in their work. This too, I realized, is from the hand of God.
- 73%
12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to rejoice and to do good while they live.
- 73%
4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.
- 73%
4 And I saw that all toil and all skill in work are driven by one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
- Eccl 8:9-102 verses73%
9 I observed all this as I considered all the work done under the sun: a time when one man has power over another to hurt them.
10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who used to go in and out of the holy place, but now they are forgotten in the city where they acted this way. This too is meaningless.
- 73%
10 I have seen the burden that God has laid on the human race.
- 73%
1 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it is great upon humanity.
- Eccl 6:6-83 verses73%
6 Even if someone lives a thousand years twice over but does not enjoy their prosperity, do not all go to the same place?
7 All human toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied.
8 What advantage has the wise person over the fool? What does the poor person gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before the living?
- 73%
10 But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last and where is he?
- 72%
8 For if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in all of them, but let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is meaningless.
- 72%
17 then I saw all the work of God, that no one can understand the work that is done under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can comprehend it. Even if the wise claim to know, they cannot truly understand it.
- 72%
20 They will go to the generation of their fathers; they will never see the light again.
- 72%
15 Whatever has already been, and what will be has already been; and God seeks what has been pursued.
- 72%
15 In my fleeting life, I have seen it all: The righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
- 72%
10 that he should live on forever and not see the pit of decay.
- 72%
8 There was a man all alone. He had no son or brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. 'For whom am I toiling,' he asked, 'and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?' This too is meaningless—a miserable business!