Ecclesiastes 3:12

World English Bible (2000)

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 3:22 : 22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?
  • Ps 37:3 : 3 Trust in Yahweh, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.
  • Deut 28:63 : 63 It shall happen that as Yahweh rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so Yahweh will rejoice over you to cause you to perish, and to destroy you; and you shall be plucked from off the land where you go in to possess it.
  • Eccl 9:7-9 : 7 Go your way--eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works. 8 Let your garments be always white, and don't let your head lack oil. 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 life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun.
  • Isa 64:5 : 5 You meet him who rejoices and works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned. We have been in sin for a long time; and shall we be saved?
  • Luke 11:41 : 41 But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.
  • Acts 20:35 : 35 In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
  • Phil 4:4-9 : 4 Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things. 9 The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
  • 1 Thess 5:15-16 : 15 See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good, for one another, and for all. 16 Rejoice always.
  • 1 Tim 6:18 : 18 that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 3:21-22
    2 verses
    87%

    21 Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"

    22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

  • Eccl 2:20-26
    7 verses
    86%

    20 Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.

    21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

    22 For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?

    23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

    24 There 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.

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

    26 For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Eccl 3:13-14
    2 verses
    83%

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

    14 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.

  • Eccl 8:14-17
    4 verses
    83%

    14 There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous 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.

    15 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.

    16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night sees sleep with his eyes),

    17 then I saw all the work of God, that man can't find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won't find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won't be able to find it.

  • Eccl 3:9-11
    3 verses
    81%

    9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

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

    11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can't find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.

  • Eccl 5:18-20
    3 verses
    80%

    18 Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

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

    20 For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    79%

    11 For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

    12 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?

  • Eccl 2:1-3
    3 verses
    78%

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

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

    3 I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.

  • Eccl 2:10-11
    2 verses
    77%

    10 Whatever my eyes desired, I didn't keep from them. I didn't withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

    11 Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

  • Eccl 9:1
    77%

    1 For 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 is love or hatred, man doesn't know it; all is before them.

  • Eccl 4:3
    77%

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

  • Eccl 9:9-10
    2 verses
    76%

    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 life, and in your labor in which you labor 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 Sheol, where you are going.

  • Eccl 7:14
    76%

    14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

  • Eccl 3:1
    76%

    1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

  • Eccl 2:17
    76%

    17 So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Eccl 11:8-9
    2 verses
    76%

    8 Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

    9 Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and 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 3:17-18
    2 verses
    75%

    17 I said in my heart, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."

    18 I said in my heart, "As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.

  • Eccl 1:3
    75%

    3 What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

  • Eccl 9:3
    75%

    3 This is an evil in all that is 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.

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    75%

    13 I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

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

  • Eccl 4:16
    75%

    16 There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was--yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Eccl 9:7
    75%

    7 Go your way--eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works.

  • Eccl 8:6
    74%

    6 For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.

  • Eccl 6:1
    74%

    1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:

  • Job 34:9
    74%

    9 For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.'

  • Eccl 8:9
    74%

    9 All this have I seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.

  • Eccl 1:17
    74%

    17 I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.