ECC 6:12 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—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for Bible-translators and others doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still early looks into the drafted 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 to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Who knows what’s good for a person
⇔ for those pointless days that he/she lives?
⇔ The days pass by like a shadow
⇔ but who can tell anyone what will happen to them next in this world?

Key: khaki:verbs.
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 Τί περισσὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ; ὅτι τίς οἶδεν ἀγαθὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ, ἀριθμὸν ζωῆς ἡμερῶν ματαιότητος αὐτοῦ; καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὰ ἐν σκιᾷ· ὅτι τίς ἀπαγγελεῖ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, τί ἔσται ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον;
(Ti perisson tōi anthrōpōi; hoti tis oiden agathon tōi anthrōpōi en taʸ zōaʸ, arithmon zōaʸs haʸmerōn mataiotaʸtos autou; kai epoiaʸsen auta en skia; hoti tis apangelei tōi anthrōpōi, ti estai opisō autou hupo ton haʸlion;)

BrTr What advantage has a man? for who knows what is good for a man in his life, during the number of the life of the days of his vanity? and he has spent them as a shadow; for who shall tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

ULT For who is knowing what is good for humanity in life during the number of the days of his vaporous life? And he makes them like the shadow. For who will declare to humanity what will be after him under the sun?

UST Certainly, I wonder whether anyone can truly know what he ought to do during his limited lifetime. People live for only a short time, and their lives seem as fleeting and insubstantial as the fading mist of one's breath. Indeed, God has designed human life so that it lasts only briefly, just like a passing shadow. Moreover, God seems to want human beings to be ignorant about what might happen to them tomorrow.

BSB For who knows what is good for a man during the few days [in which] he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?

MSB (Same as BSB above)

OEB No OEB ECC book available

WEBBE For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For no one knows what is best for a person during his life –
⇔ during the few days of his fleeting life –
⇔ for they pass away like a shadow.
⇔ Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.

LSV For who knows what [is] good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he makes them as a shadow? For who declares to man what is after him under the sun?

FBV Who knows what's best for us and our lives? During our short lives that pass like shadows we have many unanswered questions. And who can tell us what will happen when we're gone?[fn]

6:12 This could mean what will happen on earth once people die, or what will happen to people after death. Both interpretations are possible from the text.

T4T We live for only a short time; we disappear like [SIM] a shadow disappears in the sunlight. No one [RHQ] knows what is best for us while we are alive, and no one [RHQ] knows what will happen to us after we die [EUP].

LEB ¶ For who knows what is good for a man in his life during the few days of his fleeting life, which are fleeting as a shadow? For who can tell anyone what will happen _⌊in the future_⌋[fn] under the sun?

6:12 Literally “after him”

BBE Who is able to say what is good for man in life all the days of his foolish life which he goes through like a shade? who will say what is to be after him under the sun?

Moff Who can tell what is good for man in life, during the few days of his empty life that passes like a shadow? For who can tell a man what is to happen in this world when he is gone?

JPS For who knoweth what is good for man in his 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?

ASV For who knoweth what is good for man in his 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?

DRA No DRA ECC 6:12 verse available

YLT For who knoweth what [is] good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?

Drby For who knoweth what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell man what shall be after him under the sun?

RV For who knoweth what is good for man in his 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?
(For who knoweth/knows what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth/spends as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?)

SLT For who shall know what is for man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he will make them as a shadow? for who shall announce to man what shall be after him under the sun?

Wbstr 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?

KJB-1769 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?[fn]
(For who knoweth/knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth/spends as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?)

6.12 all…: Heb. the number of the days of the life of his vanity

KJB-1611 [fn]For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the dayes of his vaine life, which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shal be after him vnder the sunne?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

6:12 Heb. the number of the dayes of the life of his vanitie.

Bshps For who knoweth what is good for man liuing in the dayes of his vayne life, whiche is but a shadowe? Or who wyl tell a man what shall happen after hym vnder the sunne?
(For who knoweth/knows what is good for man living in the days of his vain life, which is but a shadowe? Or who will tell a man what shall happen after him under the sun?)

Gnva No Gnva ECC 6:12 verse available

Cvdl For who knoweth what is good for man lyuynge, in ye dayes of his vayne life, which is but a shadowe? Or, who wil tell a man, what shal happen after him vnder the Sonne?
(For who knoweth/knows what is good for man living, in ye/you_all days of his vain life, which is but a shadowe? Or, who will tell a man, what shall happen after him under the Sonne?)

Wycl No Wycl ECC 6:12 verse available

Luth Denn wer weiß, was dem Menschen nütz ist im Leben, solange er lebet in seiner Eitelkeit, welches dahinfähret wie ein Schatten? Oder wer will dem Menschen sagen, was nach ihm kommen wird unter der Sonne?
(Because who white, what/which to_him people useful is in_the life, as_long_as he lives in his vanity, which goes_there as/like a shadow/shade? Or who will to_him people say, what/which after him coming becomes under the/of_the sun?)

ClVg No ClVg ECC 6:12 verse available

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

מִסְפַּ֛ר יְמֵי־חַיֵּ֥י הֶבְל֖⁠וֹ

few_of days_of life_of his_futility_of,his

Solomon is using the possessive form to describe the days that make up a person’s brief life. If a speaker of your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could express this idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the number of vaporous days that he lives]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

חַיֵּ֥י הֶבְל֖⁠וֹ

life_of his_futility_of,his

Solomon is speaking as if a person’s life were vaporous. He means that life is brief and fleeting. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [his brief and fleeting life]

Note 3 topic: writing-pronouns

וְ⁠יַעֲשֵׂ֣⁠ם כַּ⁠צֵּ֑ל

and,he,spends_them like,shadow

The pronoun he refers to God, while the pronoun them refers to the days of a person’s life. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [And God makes the days of his life like the shadow]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

כַּ⁠צֵּ֑ל

like,shadow

The point of this comparison is that just as the shadow is brief and quickly passes, so are the days of a person’s life. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: [like a quickly passing shadow]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

אֲשֶׁר֙ מִֽי־יַגִּ֣יד לָֽ⁠אָדָ֔ם מַה־יִּהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרָ֖י⁠ו תַּ֥חַת הַ⁠שָּֽׁמֶשׁ

which/who who? tell to,person what? happen after,him below/instead_of the,sun

Solomon is using the question form to emphasize that no one can tell a person what will happen after him. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [For no one can declare to humanity what will be after him under the sun]

Note 6 topic: writing-pronouns

מַה־יִּהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרָ֖י⁠ו

what? what? happen after,him

The pronoun him refers to a person in general. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [what will be after a person]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

תַּ֥חַת הַ⁠שָּֽׁמֶשׁ

below/instead_of the,sun

See how you translated the similar expression in [6:1](../06/01.md).

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

כִּ֣י מִֽי־יוֹדֵעַ֩ מַה־טּ֨וֹב לָֽ⁠אָדָ֜ם בַּֽ⁠חַיִּ֗ים מִסְפַּ֛ר יְמֵי־חַיֵּ֥י הֶבְל֖⁠וֹ

that/for/because/then/when who? knows what? good for,person in,life few_of days_of life_of his_futility_of,his

Solomon is using the question form to emphasize that no one truly knows what is good for a person during his life. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [For no one knows what is good for humanity in life during the number of the days of his vaporous life!]

Parallel ECC 6:12