ECC 5:20 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.

Key: khaki:verbs, red:negative, 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).

ULT For not much does he remember the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joys of his heart.

UST Those people do not think much about everything that has happened during their lifetime, because God makes sure that they keep working at what they enjoy.

BSB For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.

OEB his work – this is a gift of God. Such a man will not think much about the brevity of his life; for his heart is touched by God to a glad response.

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

WMBB (Same as above)

NET 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.

LSV For he does not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart.

FBV In fact such people have little time to think about life because God keeps them busy with all that makes them happy.[fn]

5:20 Whether this is a good thing or not is not indicated.

T4T Those people do not worry much about everything that has happened during the time that they have been alive, because God enables them to be happy doing everything that they do.

LEB No LEB ECC 5:20 verse available

BBE He will not give much thought to the days of his life; because God lets him be taken up with the joy of his heart.

Moff No Moff ECC book available

JPS (5-19) For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

ASV For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

DRA No DRA ECC 5:20 verse available

YLT For he doth not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart.

Drby For he will not much remember the days of his life, because [fn]God answereth [him] with the joy of his heart.

5.20 Elohim

RV For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Wbstr For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

KJB-1769 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.[fn]

5.20 For…: or, Though he give not much, yet he remembereth, etc

KJB-1611 [fn]For he shall not much remember the dayes of his life: because God answereth him in the ioy of his heart.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

5:20 Or, though he giue not much, yet he remembred &c.

Bshps For he thinketh not much howe long he shall lyue, forasmuch as God fylleth his heart with gladnesse.
(For he thinketh not much how long he shall live, forasmuch as God filleth/fills his heart with gladnesse.)

Gnva No Gnva ECC 5:20 verse available

Cvdl For he thinketh not moch how longe he shal lyue, for so moch as God fylleth his hert with gladnesse.
(For he thinketh not much how long he shall live, for so much as God filleth/fills his heart with gladnesse.)

Wycl No Wycl ECC 5:20 verse available

Luth No Luth ECC 5:20 verse available

ClVg No ClVg ECC 5:20 verse available

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) he does not call to mind

(he does not call to mind)

Here the word “he” refers to the person to whom God has given a gift. The phrase “call to mind” is an idiom. Alternate translation: “he does not remember” or “he does not think about”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

(Occurrence 0) the days of his life

(the days of his life)

This refers to the things that happened during his lifetime. This can be stated clearly. Alternate translation: “the things that have happened during his lifetime”

(Occurrence 0) keep busy

(keep busy)

Alternate translation: “stay busy”

Parallel ECC 5:20