Ecclesiastes 3:19
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.
Additional Resources
Other Translations
Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts
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.
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.
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 Nevertheless, man being in honor abides not: he is like the beasts that perish.
- Ps 49:20 : 20 Man that is in honor, and does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.
- Ps 89:47-48 : 47 Remember how short my time is; why have you made all men in vain? 48 What man can live and not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the power of the grave? Selah.
- Ps 92:6-7 : 6 A senseless man does not know, nor does a fool understand this. 7 When the wicked spring up like the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity flourish, it is so they may be destroyed forever.
- Ps 104:29 : 29 You hide Your face, they are troubled: You take away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
- Eccl 2:14 : 14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived that the same event happens to them all.
- Eccl 2:16 : 16 For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, since what now is will all be forgotten in the days to come. And how does the wise man die? Just like the fool.
- Eccl 2:20-23 : 20 Therefore I turned my heart to despair over all the labor which I had done under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet he must leave his inheritance to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what has man from all his labor, and of the striving of his heart with which he has labored under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work is burdensome; even at night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
- 2 Sam 14:14 : 14 For we must die, and are as water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but he devises means, so that his banished are not expelled from him.
- Job 14:10-12 : 10 But man dies and wastes away; yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he? 11 As the waters fail from the sea and the flood decays and dries up, 12 So man lies down and does not rise; till the heavens are no more, they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep.
- Ps 39:5-6 : 5 Behold, you have made my days as a handbreadth; and my age is as nothing before you: truly every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. 6 Surely every man walks in a vain show: surely they are troubled in vain: he heaps up riches, and does not know who shall gather them.
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 one place; all are of dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?
22 Therefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what shall be after him?
- 86%
18 I said in my heart concerning the condition of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are like beasts.
- Eccl 9:1-55 verses79%
1 For all this I considered in my heart, even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God. No one knows either love or hatred by all that is before them.
2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrifices, and to him that does not sacrifice; as is the good, so is the sinner; and he who swears, as he who fears an oath.
3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes, 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.
4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing, nor have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
- Eccl 6:10-123 verses78%
10 That which has been is already named, and it is known that it is man: nor can he contend with one mightier than he.
11 Since there are many things that increase vanity, what advantage does man have?
12 For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
- 77%
12 Nevertheless, man being in honor abides not: he is like the beasts that perish.
- Eccl 12:7-82 verses77%
7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity.
- 76%
15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall return again to dust.
- Eccl 1:2-32 verses76%
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit does a man have from all his labor which he does under the sun?
- 76%
16 There is no end of all the people, even of all who have been before them; they also that come after will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
- 75%
19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I have labored and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
- Eccl 2:15-173 verses75%
15 So I said in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me. And why was I then more wise?" Then I said in my heart, "This also is vanity."
16 For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, since what now is will all be forgotten in the days to come. And how does the wise man die? Just like the fool.
17 Therefore I hated life, because the work that was done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
- 75%
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
- 75%
14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth: there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
- 74%
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor I had toiled to do; and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
- 74%
9 The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
- 73%
16 And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit has he who has labored for the wind?
- Eccl 2:21-244 verses73%
21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet he must leave his inheritance to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 For what has man from all his labor, and of the striving of his heart with which he has labored under the sun?
23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work is burdensome; even at night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
24 There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.
- 73%
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives.
- 73%
4 Man is like vanity: his days are as a shadow that passes away.
- 73%
4 Again, I considered all the toil and every right work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
- Eccl 8:9-102 verses73%
9 All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man rules over another to his own harm.
10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had done so. This also is vanity.
- 73%
10 I have seen the task which God has given to the sons of men to be occupied with.
- 73%
1 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
- Eccl 6:6-83 verses73%
6 Yes, even if he lives a thousand years twice over, yet has seen no good: do not all go to one place?
7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his appetite is not satisfied.
8 For what has the wise more than the fool? what does the poor have, who knows to walk before the living?
- 73%
10 But man dies and wastes away; yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?
- 72%
8 But if a man lives many years, and rejoices in them all, let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is vanity.
- 72%
17 Then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. Even though a man labors to seek it out, he shall not find it; moreover, though a wise man thinks to know it, he shall not be able to find it.
- 72%
20 Man that is in honor, and does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.
- 72%
15 That which is, has already been; and that which is to be, has already been; and God requires an account of the past.
- 72%
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity; there is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.
- 72%
10 For he sees that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.
- 72%
8 There is one alone, without a second; yes, he has neither child nor brother, yet there is no end to all his labor, nor is his eye satisfied with riches, nor does he ask, 'For whom do I labor and deprive my soul of good?' This is also vanity, yes, it is a grievous toil.