ECC 5:18 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, blue:Elohim.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Καί γε πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ᾧ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς πλοῦτον καὶ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ ἐξουσίασεν αὐτῷ φαγεῖν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ λαβεῖν τὸ μέρος αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοῦ· εὐφρανθῆναι ἐν μόχθῳ αὐτοῦ, τοῦτο δόμα Θεοῦ ἐστιν.
(Kai ge pas anthrōpos hō edōken autōi ho Theos plouton kai huparⱪonta, kai exousiasen autōi fagein apʼ autou, kai labein to meros autou, kai tou; eufranthaʸnai en moⱪthōi autou, touto doma Theou estin. )

BrTr Yea, and as for every man to whom God has given wealth and possessions, and has given him power to eat thereof, and to receive his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

ULT Look, what I myself have seen is good: that it is fitting to eat and to drink and to see good in all his toil that he will toil under the sun during the number of the days of his life that God has given to him, for it is his portion.

UST So the best thing for people to do here on the earth during the few years that God allows them to be alive is to eat, drink, and enjoy their work, because those are the things that he allows them to do.

BSB § 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.

OEB I claim, as the result of my observation, that it is an excellent and comely thing (for a man) to eat, drink, and enjoy himself amid all his laborious toil under the sun during the days of the brief life

WEBBE 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 labour, in which he labours under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people:
⇔ to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth
⇔ during the few days of their life which God has given them,
⇔ for this is their reward.

LSV Behold, that which I have seen: [It is] good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all one’s labor that he labors at under the sun, the number of the days of his life that God has given to him, for it [is] his portion.

FBV But I observed that what is good and right is to eat, drink, and to find enjoyment in the work God gives us here in this life. This is God's gift to us.

T4T So, the best thing for people to do here on the earth during the few years that God allows them to be alive is to eat and drink and to enjoy their work, because those are the things that God has given to them.

LEB Look! I have discovered what is good and fitting: to eat and to drink and to enjoy[fn] all the fruit of the toil with which one toils under the sun during the number of the days of his life that God gives to him—for this is his lot.[fn]

5:18 Literally “to see goodness”

5:18 Or “fate”

BBE This is what I have seen: it is good and fair for a man to take meat and drink and to have joy in all his work under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; that is his reward.

Moff No Moff ECC book available

JPS (5-17) Behold that which I have seen: it is good, yea, it is comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy pleasure for all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him; for this is his portion.

ASV Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.

DRA And every man to whom God hath given riches, and substance, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to enjoy his portion, and to rejoice of his labour: this is the gift of God.

YLT Lo, that which I have seen: [It is] good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all one's labour that he laboureth at under the sun, the number of the days of his life that God hath given to him, for it [is] his portion.

Drby Behold what I have seen good and comely: [it is] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour wherewith [man] laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which [fn]God hath given him: for that is his portion.

5.18 Elohim

RV Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.

Wbstr 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 labor that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

KJB-1769 ¶ 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.[fn][fn]
(¶ 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/gives him: for it is his portion. )

5.18 it is good…: Heb. there is a good which is comely, etc

5.18 all the days: Heb. the number of the days

KJB-1611 ¶ [fn][fn][fn]Behold that which I haue seene: It is good and comely for one to eate and to drinke, and to enioy the good of all his labour that he taketh vnder the sunne, all the dayes of his life, which God giueth him: for it is his portion.
(¶ Behold that which I have seen: It is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enioy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun, all the days of his life, which God giveth/gives him: for it is his portion.)

5:18 Chap.2. 24 and 3. 12.

5:18 Heb. there is a good which is comely, &c.

5:18 Heb. the number of the dayes.

Bshps Therfore me thinke it a better and a fayrer thyng, a man to eate and drynke, and to be refresshed of all his labour that he taketh vnder the sunne, all the dayes of his lyfe which God geueth him: for this is his portion.
(Therefore me thinke it a better and a fayrer thing, a man to eat and drink, and to be refresshed of all his labour that he taketh under the sun, all the days of his life which God giveth/gives him: for this is his portion.)

Gnva Also to euery man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures, and giueth him power to eate thereof, and to take his part, and to enioy his labour: this is the gift of God.
(Also to every man to whom God hath/has given riches and treasures, and giveth/gives him power to eat thereof, and to take his part, and to enioy his labour: this is the gift of God. )

Cvdl Therfore me thinke it a better and a fayrer thinge, a man to eate and drynke, and to be refreshed of all his laboure, yt he taketh vnder the Sonne all the dayes of his life which God geueth him, for this is his porcion.
(Therefore me thinke it a better and a fayrer thing, a man to eat and drink, and to be refreshed of all his laboure, it he taketh under the Son all the days of his life which God giveth/gives him, for this is his porcion.)

Wycl And to ech man, to whom God yaf richessis, and catel, and yaf power to hym to ete of tho, and to vse his part, and to be glad of his trauel; this is the yifte of God.
(And to each man, to whom God gave richessis, and cattle, and gave power to him to eat of tho, and to use his part, and to be glad of his trauel; this is the yifte of God.)

Luth Denn welchem Menschen GOtt Reichtum und Güter und Gewalt gibt, daß er davon isset und trinket für sein Teil und fröhlich ist in seiner Arbeit, das ist eine Gottesgabe.
(Because which_one Menschen God Reichtum and Güter and Gewalt gibt, that he davon isset and trinket for his Teil and fröhlich is in his Arbeit, the is one God’sgabe.)

ClVg Et omni homini cui dedit Deus divitias atque substantiam, potestatemque ei tribuit ut comedat ex eis, et fruatur parte sua, et lætetur de labore suo: hoc est donum Dei.
(And all homini cui he_gave God divitias atque substantiam, potestatemque to_him tribuit as comedat from eis, and fruatur in_part/partly sua, and lætetur about labore suo: this it_is donum of_God. )

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

Enjoying God’s Gifts

The conclusion of many of the Teacher’s reflections in Ecclesiastes is that we are responsible for enjoying life because it is God’s gift (see 2:24-25; 3:12-13, 22; 5:18; 6:9; 8:15; 9:7-9; 11:7-10). Although there are conditions in which it would seemingly be better not to be alive, life is meant to be enjoyed with laughing, dancing, love, and peace. It is especially worth living when old age and death challenge that joy (9:4, 10; 11:7-9; 12:1). We are to enjoy our food, drink, health, proper clothes, our loving spouse, children, daily work, and entertainment. It may be surprising to hear such joy in Ecclesiastes, a book that acknowledges such intense tragedy and frustration. But it is exactly this balance of joy and sorrow that characterizes the wise person who reflects on all of life and understands its complexities in a fallen world.

It is when we treat the things of life and their enjoyment as ends in themselves that they are deterrents to happiness. The Teacher speaks strongly against the pursuit of pleasure for its own sake as foolish and without profit (2:1-2; 7:4; 10:16-19; see also Isa 22:13; 56:12; Luke 12:19-20).

The New Testament encourages us to be joyful in all things, including trials and challenges (Phil 4:4; Jas 1:2). One tradition in Christianity states that “the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever” (Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 1).

Passages for Further Study

Eccl 2:24-25; 3:12-13, 22; 4:6; 5:18-20; 6:9; 8:15; 9:7-9; 11:7-10; Isa 22:13; 56:12; Luke 12:19-20; Phil 4:4; Col 2:20-22; Jas 1:2; 4:13-16

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

(Occurrence 0) Look

(Some words not found in UHB: also/yet all/each/any/every the=humankind which/who he/it_gave to=him/it the=ʼElohīm wealth and,possessions and,enables,him to,enjoy from=him/it and,to,accept DOM lot,his and,to,rejoice in/on/at/with,toil,his this gift ʼElohīm she/it )

The author uses this word here to draw his reader’s attention to what he says next. Alternate translation: “Pay attention” or “Listen”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

(Occurrence 0) what I have seen to be good and suitable

Here the words “good” and “suitable” mean basically the same thing. The second intensifies the meaning of the first. Alternate translation: “what I have seen to be the best thing to do”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

(Occurrence 0) under the sun

This refers to things that are done on earth. See how you translated this in Ecclesiastes 1:3. Alternate translation: “on the earth”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

(Occurrence 0) during the days of this life that God has given us

This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “as long as God allows us to live”

(Occurrence 0) For this is man’s assignment

This could mean: (1) “For this is man’s reward” or (2) “For these are the things that he allows man to do”

Parallel ECC 5:18