Ecclesiastes 8:15

KJV1611 – Modern English

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.

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

    So I praised enjoyment, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat, drink, and be glad. This will accompany them in their toil through the days of life that God has given them under the sun.

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

    Then I commended mirth, bause a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that shall abide with him in his labor [all] the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    Therfore I commende gladnesse, because a man hath no better thinge vnder the Sonne, then to eate and drynke, and to be mery: for that shal he haue of his laboure all the daies of his life, which God geueth him vnder the Sonne.+

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    And I praysed ioy: for there is no goodnesse to man vnder the sunne, saue to eate and to drinke and to reioyce: for this is adioyned to his labour, the dayes of his life that God hath giuen him vnder the sunne.

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    Therfore I commende gladnesse, because a man hath no better thing vnder the sunne, then to eate and drinke, and to be merie: for that shall he haue of his labour, al the dayes of his life which God geueth hym vnder the sunne.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    And I have praised mirth because there is no good to man under the sun except to eat and to drink, and to rejoice, and it remaineth with him of his labour the days of his life that God hath given to him under the sun.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that shall abide with him in his labor `all' the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that shall abide with him in his labor [all] the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    So I gave praise to joy, because there is nothing better for a man to do under the sun than to take meat and drink and be happy; for that will be with him in his work all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

  • World English Bible (2000)

    Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    Enjoy Life In Spite of Its Injustices So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 2:24 : 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.
  • Eccl 5:18 : 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.
  • Eccl 3:12-13 : 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives. 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.
  • 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?
  • Eccl 9:7-9 : 7 Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God now accepts your works. 8 Let your garments be always white; and let your head lack no ointment. 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.
  • 1 Tim 4:3-4 : 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused, if it is received with thanksgiving;
  • 1 Tim 6:17 : 17 Charge those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy;

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 5:17-20
    4 verses
    86%

    17All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

    18Behold, 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.

    19Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, to receive his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

    20For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.

  • Eccl 2:17-26
    10 verses
    86%

    17Therefore I hated life, because the work that was done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

    18Yes, 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.

    19And 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.

    20Therefore I turned my heart to despair over all the labor which I had done under the sun.

    21For 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.

    22For what has man from all his labor, and of the striving of his heart with which he has labored under the sun?

    23For all his days are sorrowful, and his work is burdensome; even at night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

    24There 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.

    25For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?

    26For 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 3:12-13
    2 verses
    83%

    12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives.

    13And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.

  • Eccl 3:22
    82%

    22Therefore 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?

  • Eccl 9:7
    80%

    7Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God now accepts your works.

  • Eccl 9:9-10
    2 verses
    80%

    9Live 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.

    10Whatever 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.

  • Eccl 2:1-3
    3 verses
    80%

    1I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure." And behold, this also is vanity.

    2I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?"

    3I 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.

  • Eccl 11:7-9
    3 verses
    78%

    7Truly the light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun.

    8But 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.

    9Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes — but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

  • Eccl 2:10-11
    2 verses
    77%

    10And whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor.

    11Then 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.

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    76%

    11Since there are many things that increase vanity, what advantage does man have?

    12For 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?

  • Prov 15:15
    75%

    15All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who has a merry heart has a continual feast.

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    75%

    16When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the work that is done upon the earth (for there are those who neither day nor night see sleep with their eyes),

    17Then 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.

  • Eccl 10:19
    75%

    19A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry: but money answers all things.

  • Eccl 1:3
    75%

    3What profit does a man have from all his labor which he does under the sun?

  • Ps 104:15
    75%

    15And wine that makes glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengthens man's heart.

  • Eccl 7:14
    74%

    14In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one against the other, so that man should find nothing after him.

  • Eccl 7:2
    74%

    2It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men, and the living will take it to heart.

  • Eccl 8:14
    74%

    14There 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.

  • Isa 22:13
    73%

    13And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine: let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die.

  • Eccl 4:3
    73%

    3Yes, better is he than both, who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

  • Eccl 6:7
    73%

    7All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his appetite is not satisfied.

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    73%

    13And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this difficult task God has given to the children of man to be engaged with.

    14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

  • Prov 14:13
    72%

    13Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

  • Eccl 12:8
    72%

    8Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity.

  • Prov 8:31
    72%

    31Rejoicing in the inhabitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

  • Luke 12:19
    72%

    19And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years; take your rest, eat, drink, and be merry.

  • Eccl 4:7
    72%

    7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

  • Eccl 3:10
    72%

    10I have seen the task which God has given to the sons of men to be occupied with.