Ecclesiastes 6:12
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?
Additional Resources
Other Translations
Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts
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?
King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)
For who knoweth what is good for man in this 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?
American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers
For who knoweth{H3045} what is good{H2896} for man{H120} in [his] life,{H2416} all{H4557} the days{H3117} of his vain{H1892} life{H2416} which he spendeth{H6213} as a shadow?{H6738} for who can tell{H5046} a man{H120} what shall be after{H310} him under the sun?{H8121}
King James Version with Strong's Numbers
For who knoweth{H3045}{(H8802)} what is good{H2896} for man{H120} in this life{H2416}, all{H4557} the days{H3117} of his vain{H1892} life{H2416} which he spendeth{H6213}{(H8799)} as a shadow{H6738}? for who can tell{H5046}{(H8686)} a man{H120} what shall be after{H310} him under the sun{H8121}?
Coverdale Bible (1535)
For who knoweth what is good for man lyuynge, in ye dayes of his vayne life, which is but a shadowe? Or, who wil tell a man, what shal happen after him vnder the Sonne?
Geneva Bible (1560)
(7:2) For who knoweth what is good for man in the life and in the nomber of the dayes of the life of his vanitie, seeing he maketh them as a shadowe? For who can shewe vnto man what shall be after him vnder the sunne?
Bishops' Bible (1568)
For who knoweth what is good for man liuing in the dayes of his vayne life, whiche is but a shadowe? Or who wyl tell a man what shall happen after hym vnder the sunne?
Authorized King James Version (1611)
For who knoweth what [is] good for man in [this] 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?
Webster's Bible (1833)
For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)
For who knoweth what `is' good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?
American Standard Version (1901)
For 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?
American Standard Version (1901)
For 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?
Bible in Basic English (1941)
Who is able to say what is good for man in life all the days of his foolish life which he goes through like a shade? who will say what is to be after him under the sun?
World English Bible (2000)
For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
NET Bible® (New English Translation)
For no one knows what is best for a person during his life– during the few days of his fleeting life– for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.
Referenced Verses
- Job 14:2 : 2 He comes forth like a flower and is cut down; he flees also as a shadow and does not continue.
- Eccl 3:22 : 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?
- Lam 3:24-27 : 24 The LORD is my portion, says my soul; therefore I will hope in Him. 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. 26 It is good that one should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. 27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth.
- Jas 4:14 : 14 Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
- Eccl 8:7 : 7 For he does not know what shall be; for who can tell him when it shall be?
- Eccl 8:13 : 13 But it will not be well with the wicked, nor will he prolong his days, which are like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.
- Ps 144:4 : 4 Man is like vanity: his days are as a shadow that passes away.
- 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.
- Ps 47:4 : 4 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loved. Selah.
- Ps 89:47 : 47 Remember how short my time is; why have you made all men in vain?
- Ps 90:10-12 : 10 The days of our years are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their strength is labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 11 Who knows the power of your anger? even according to your fear, so is your wrath. 12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
- Ps 102:11 : 11 My days are like a shadow that declines, and I am withered like grass.
- Ps 109:23 : 23 I am gone like a shadow when it declines; I am tossed up and down like the locust.
- Job 14:21 : 21 His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; and they are brought low, but he does not perceive it of them.
- Ps 4:6 : 6 There are many that say, Who will show us any good? LORD, lift up the light of your countenance upon us.
- Ps 16:5 : 5 The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup: You maintain my lot.
- Ps 17:15 : 15 As for me, I will see your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with your likeness.
- Eccl 2:3 : 3 I searched in my heart to give myself to wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what is good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.
- 1 Chr 29:15 : 15 For we are strangers before You, and sojourners, as were all our fathers; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding.
- Job 8:9 : 9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow:)
- Eccl 9:6 : 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.
- Eccl 12:13 : 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
- Mic 6:8 : 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- Eccl 6:1-1111 verses86%
1 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
2 A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all he desires, yet God does not give him the power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, yet his soul is not filled with good, and indeed he has no burial; I say, that a premature birth is better than he.
4 For it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
5 Moreover, it has not seen the sun nor known anything: this has more rest than the other.
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?
9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire: this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
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?
- Eccl 2:15-2612 verses83%
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.
18 Yes, I hated all my labor that I had labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
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.
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.
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.
25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
26 For God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to the man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and collecting, only to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
- Eccl 1:2-32 verses82%
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?
- Eccl 8:6-72 verses81%
6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.
7 For he does not know what shall be; for who can tell him when it shall be?
- Eccl 3:21-222 verses80%
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?
- 79%
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.
- 79%
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives.
- 78%
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.
- 78%
4 Man is like vanity: his days are as a shadow that passes away.
- 78%
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.
- Eccl 2:11-122 verses77%
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.
12 I turned to consider wisdom, madness, and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done.
- 77%
8 Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity.
- 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.
- 76%
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.
- 76%
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?
- 76%
15 So I commended joy, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor the days of his life, which God gives him under the sun.
- 76%
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
- Eccl 9:9-102 verses75%
9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity: for that is your portion in this life and in your labor which you take under the sun.
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave where you go.
- 75%
18 Behold, what I have seen: it is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him; for it is his portion.
- 75%
3 Yes, better is he than both, who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
- 75%
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.
- 75%
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.
- 74%
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.
- 74%
14 Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.