Ecclesiastes 3:19
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
American King James Version (AKJV)
For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
American Standard Version (ASV)
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.
Webster's Revision
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
World English Bible
For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.
English Revised Version (ERV)
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.
Definitions for Ecclesiastes 3:19
Clarke's Ecclesiastes 3:19 Bible Commentary
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts - From the present comparison of great men to beasts, the author takes occasion to enforce the subject by mentioning the state of mankind in general, with respect to the mortality of their bodies; and then, by an easy transition, touches in the next verse on the point which is of such infinite consequence to religion.
As the one dieth, so dieth the other - Animal life is the same both in the man and in the beast.
They have all one breath - They respire in the same way; and when they cease to respire, animal life becomes extinct.
Befalleth beasts - This is wanting in six of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS.
Barnes's Ecclesiastes 3:19 Bible Commentary
That which befalleth the sons of men - literally, the event (happenstance) of the sons of men, i. e., what comes upon them from outside, by virtue of the ordinance of God. See the Ecclesiastes 2:14 note. Death in particular Ecclesiastes 3:2, Ecclesiastes 3:11 is a part of the "work that God doeth."
Wesley's Ecclesiastes 3:19 Bible Commentary
3:19 For - They are subject to the same diseases, pains, and calamities. So dieth - As certainly, and no less, painfully.One breath - One breath of life, which is in their nostrils by which the beasts perform the same animal operations. No pre - eminence - In respect of the present life.
