Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them? New Living Translation So I saw that there is nothing better for people than to be happy in their work. That is our lot in life. And no one can bring us back to see what happens after we die. English Standard Version So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him? Berean Standard Bible I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him? King James Bible Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? New King James Version So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him? New American Standard Bible I have seen that nothing is better than when a person is happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him? NASB 1995 I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him? NASB 1977 And I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him? Legacy Standard Bible I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be glad in his works, for that is his portion. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him? Amplified Bible So I have seen that there is nothing better than that a man should be happy in his own works and activities, for that is his portion (share). For who will bring him [back] to see what will happen after he is gone? Christian Standard Bible I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies? Holman Christian Standard Bible I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies? American Standard Version Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him back to see what shall be after him? Contemporary English Version We were meant to enjoy our work, and that's the best thing we can do. We can never know the future. English Revised Version Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him back to see what shall be after him? GOD'S WORD® Translation I saw that there's nothing better for people to do than to enjoy their work because that is their lot [in life]. Who will allow them to see what will happen after them? Good News Translation So I realized then that the best thing we can do is enjoy what we have worked for. There is nothing else we can do. There is no way for us to know what will happen after we die. International Standard Version I concluded that it is worthwhile for people to find joy in their accomplishments, because that is their inheritance, since who can see what will exist after them? Majority Standard Bible I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him? NET Bible So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work, because that is their reward; for who can show them what the future holds? New Heart English Bible 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? Webster's Bible Translation Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? World English Bible 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? Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd I have seen that there is nothing better than that man rejoice in his works, for it [is] his portion; for who brings him to look on that which is after him? Young's Literal Translation And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man rejoice in his works, for it is his portion; for who doth bring him in to look on that which is after him? Smith's Literal Translation And I saw that no good more than that man shall rejoice in his works; for this is his portion: for who shall bring him to look upon what shall be after him? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd I have found that nothing is better than for a man to rejoice in his work, and that this is his portion. For who shall bring him to know the things that shall be after him? Catholic Public Domain Version And I have discovered nothing to be better than for a man to rejoice in his work: for this is his portion. And who shall add to him, so that he may know the things that will occur after him? New American Bible And I saw that there is nothing better for mortals than to rejoice in their work; for this is their lot. Who will let them see what is to come after them? New Revised Standard Version So I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them? Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleWherefore I saw that there is nothing better in them but that man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? Peshitta Holy Bible Translated I have seen there is nothing better for them but that a man rejoice in his works, because that is his portion, for who will bring him to see all that will be after him? OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Wherefore I perceived that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? Brenton Septuagint Translation And I saw that there was no good, but that wherein a man shall rejoice in his works, for it is his portion, for who shall bring him to see any thing of that which shall be after him? Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context From Dust to Dust…21Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth? 22I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him? Cross References Ecclesiastes 2:24 Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot. / Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God. / For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works: / Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head. / Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun. ... Psalm 128:2 For when you eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours. Psalm 104:28 When You give it to them, they gather it up; when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things. Psalm 73:24-26 You guide me with Your counsel, and later receive me in glory. / Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You. / My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Job 14:14-15 When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes. / You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands. Isaiah 22:13 But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” Isaiah 65:21-22 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. / No longer will they build houses for others to inhabit, nor plant for others to eat. For as is the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands. 1 Corinthians 15:32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 1 Timothy 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy. Matthew 6:25-34 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? / Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? / Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ... Luke 12:19-20 Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ / But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’ James 4:13-15 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.” / You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. / Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.” Philippians 4:11-13 I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. / I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need. / I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Treasury of Scripture Why I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? nothing Ecclesiastes 3:11,12 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end… Ecclesiastes 2:10,11,24 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour… Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion… who Ecclesiastes 6:12 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? Ecclesiastes 8:7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? Ecclesiastes 9:12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. Jump to Previous Activities Better Enjoy Happy Joy Lot Occur Perceive Perceived Portion Rejoice Reward Wherefore Work WorksJump to Next Activities Better Enjoy Happy Joy Lot Occur Perceive Perceived Portion Rejoice Reward Wherefore Work WorksEcclesiastes 3 1. by the necessary change of times, vanity is added to human travail11. is an excellence in God's works 16. as for man, God shall judge his works hereafter, though here he be like a beast So I saw The phrase "So I saw" indicates a conclusion drawn from observation and reflection. In Hebrew, the word for "saw" is "ra'ah," which implies not just physical sight but also understanding and discernment. This suggests that the author, traditionally believed to be Solomon, is sharing a wisdom gained through deep contemplation and life experience. It emphasizes the importance of perceiving life through a lens of wisdom and understanding, rather than mere observation. there is nothing better than for a man to enjoy his work because that is his lot For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
Hebrew I have seenוְרָאִ֗יתִי (wə·rā·’î·ṯî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Strong's 7200: To see that כִּ֣י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction there is nothing אֵ֥ין (’ên) Adverb Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle better טוֹב֙ (ṭō·wḇ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good for a man הָאָדָם֙ (hā·’ā·ḏām) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being than מֵאֲשֶׁ֨ר (mê·’ă·šer) Preposition-m | Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that to enjoy יִשְׂמַ֤ח (yiś·maḥ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 8055: To brighten up, be, blithe, gleesome his work, בְּֽמַעֲשָׂ֔יו (bə·ma·‘ă·śāw) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 4639: An action, a transaction, activity, a product, property because כִּי־ (kî-) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction that ה֖וּא (hū) Pronoun - third person masculine singular Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are is his lot. חֶלְק֑וֹ (ḥel·qōw) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 2506: Portion, tract, territory For כִּ֣י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction who מִ֤י (mî) Interrogative Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix can bring יְבִיאֶ֙נּוּ֙ (yə·ḇî·’en·nū) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go him to see לִרְא֔וֹת (lir·’ō·wṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 7200: To see what בְּמֶ֖ה (bə·meh) Preposition-b | Interrogative Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what will come שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥ה (še·yih·yeh) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be after him? אַחֲרָֽיו׃ (’a·ḥă·rāw) Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's 310: The hind or following part Links Ecclesiastes 3:22 NIVEcclesiastes 3:22 NLT Ecclesiastes 3:22 ESV Ecclesiastes 3:22 NASB Ecclesiastes 3:22 KJV Ecclesiastes 3:22 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 3:22 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 3:22 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 3:22 French Bible Ecclesiastes 3:22 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 3:22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) |
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