Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. New Living Translation God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past. English Standard Version For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. Berean Standard Bible For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. King James Bible For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. New King James Version For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart. New American Standard Bible For he will not often call to mind the years of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart. NASB 1995 For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart. NASB 1977 For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart. Legacy Standard Bible For he will not remember much the days of his life because God allows him to occupy himself with the gladness of his heart. Amplified Bible For he will not often consider the [troubled] days of his life, because God keeps him occupied and focused on the joy of his heart [and the tranquility of God indwells him]. Christian Standard Bible for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. Holman Christian Standard Bible for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. American Standard Version For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. Aramaic Bible in Plain English Because he will not much remember the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart Brenton Septuagint Translation For he shall not much remember the days of his life; for God troubles him in the mirth of his heart. Contemporary English Version God will keep you so happy that you won't have time to worry about each day. Douay-Rheims Bible For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God entertaineth his heart with delight, English Revised Version For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. GOD'S WORD® Translation These people won't give much thought to their brief lives because God keeps them occupied with the joy in their hearts. Good News Translation Since God has allowed us to be happy, we will not worry too much about how short life is. International Standard Version For he will not brood much over the days of his life, since God will keep him occupied with the joys of his heart. JPS Tanakh 1917 For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart. Literal Standard Version For he does not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart. Majority Standard Bible For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. New American Bible For they will hardly dwell on the shortness of life, because God lets them busy themselves with the joy of their heart. NET Bible For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity. New Revised Standard Version For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts. New Heart English Bible For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart. Webster's Bible Translation For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. World English Bible For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart. Young's Literal Translation For he doth not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Futility of Wealth…19Furthermore, 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. 20For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. Cross References Exodus 23:25 So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take away sickness from among you. Ecclesiastes 6:1 There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind: Treasury of Scripture For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answers him in the joy of his heart. for he shall not much remember Psalm 37:16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. because Deuteronomy 28:8-12,47 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee… Psalm 4:6,7 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us… Isaiah 64:5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. Jump to Previous Consider Gladness Heart Joy Keeps Life Occupied Often Reflect Reflects Remember Seldom ThoughtJump to Next Consider Gladness Heart Joy Keeps Life Occupied Often Reflect Reflects Remember Seldom ThoughtEcclesiastes 5 1. vanities in divine service8. in murmuring against oppression 9. and in riches 18. Joy in riches is the gift of God. (20) "In the enjoyment of God's gifts he does not think much of the sorrows or brevity of life." This is the usual explanation; and though not satisfied with it, we cannot suggest a better.Verse 20. - For he shall not much remember the days of his life. The man who has learned the lesson of calm enjoyment does not much concern himself with the shortness, uncertainty, or possible trouble of life. He carries out the counsel of Christ, "Be not anxious for the morrow, for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:34). Ginsburg gives an entirely opposite rendering to the clause, "He should remember that the days of his life are not many;" i.e. the thought of the shortness of life should urge us to enjoy it while it lasts. But the Authorized Version is supported by the Septuagint and Vulgate and most modern commentators, and seems most appropriate to the context. The marginal rendering, "Though he give not much, yet he remembereth," etc., which Ginsburg calls a literary curiosity, must have been derived from the version of Junius, which gives, "Quod si non multum (supple, est illud quod dederit Deus, ex versu praec.)," etc. Because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. The man passes a calm and contented life, because God shows that he is pleased with him by the tranquil joy shed over his heart. The verb מַעֲנֶה (the hiph. participle of עָנָה) is variously rendered. The Septuagint gives, Ὁ Θεὸς περισπᾷ αὐτὸν ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καρδίας αὐτοῦ, "God distracts him in the mirth of his heart;" Vulgate, Eo quod Deus occupet deliciis cot ejus; Ginsburg, "God causeth him to work for the enjoyment of his heart," i.e. God assigns him work that he may thence derive enjoyment; Koster," God makes him sing in the joy of his heart;" Delitzsch, Wright, and Plumptre, "God answers (corresponds with) the joy of his heart," which the latter explains to mean "is felt to approve it as harmonizing, in its calm evenness, with his own blessedness, the tranquility of the wise man mirroring the tranquility of God." But this modified Epicureanism is alien from the teaching of Koheleth. Rather the idea is that God answers him with, imparts to him, joy of heart, makes him sensible of his favorable regard by this inward feeling of satisfaction and content.
Hebrew Forכִּ֚י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction [a man] seldom לֹ֣א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no considers יִזְכֹּ֖ר (yiz·kōr) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 2142: To mark, to remember, to mention, to be male the days יְמֵ֣י (yə·mê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 3117: A day of his life, חַיָּ֑יו (ḥay·yāw) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life because כִּ֧י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction God הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative keeps him occupied מַעֲנֶ֖ה (ma·‘ă·neh) Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 6031: To be bowed down or afflicted with the joy בְּשִׂמְחַ֥ת (bə·śim·ḥaṯ) Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 8057: Blithesomeness, glee of his heart. לִבּֽוֹ׃ (lib·bōw) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre Links Ecclesiastes 5:20 NIVEcclesiastes 5:20 NLT Ecclesiastes 5:20 ESV Ecclesiastes 5:20 NASB Ecclesiastes 5:20 KJV Ecclesiastes 5:20 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 5:20 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 5:20 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 5:20 French Bible Ecclesiastes 5:20 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 5:20 For he shall not often reflect (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) |
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