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parallelVerse INTGENEXOLEVNUMDEUJOSJDGRUTH1SA2SAPSAAMOSHOS1KI2KI1CH2CHPROECCSNGJOELMICISAZEPHABJERLAMYNANAHOBADANEZEEZRAESTNEHHAGZECMALJOBYHNMARKMATLUKEACTsYACGAL1TH2TH1COR2CORROMCOLPHMEPHPHP1TIMTIT1PET2PET2TIMHEBYUD1YHN2YHN3YHNREV

Ecc IntroC1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12

Ecc 6 V1V2V3V4V5V6V7V8V9V10V11

Parallel ECC 6:12

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.

BI Ecc 6:12 ©

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

OET (OET-RV)
 ⇔ 
 ⇔ 
 ⇔ 
 ⇔ 

OET-LVIf/because who [is]_knowing what [is]_good for_a_man in/on/at/with_life the_number of_the_days of_the_life futile_his and_pass_them like_a_shadow that who will_he_tell to_a_anyone what will_it_be after_him under the_sun.

UHBכִּ֣י מִֽי־יוֹדֵעַ֩ מַה־טּ֨וֹב לָֽ⁠אָדָ֜ם בַּֽ⁠חַיִּ֗ים מִסְפַּ֛ר יְמֵי־חַיֵּ֥י הֶבְל֖⁠וֹ וְ⁠יַעֲשֵׂ֣⁠ם כַּ⁠צֵּ֑ל אֲשֶׁר֙ מִֽי־יַגִּ֣יד לָֽ⁠אָדָ֔ם מַה־יִּהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרָ֖י⁠ו תַּ֥חַת הַ⁠שָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
   (kiy miy-yōdēˊa mah-ţōⱱ lā⁠ʼādām ba⁠ḩayyim mişpar yəmēy-ḩayyēy heⱱl⁠ō və⁠yaˊₐsē⁠m ka⁠ʦʦēl ʼₐsher miy-yaggid lā⁠ʼādām mah-yihyeh ʼaḩₐrāy⁠v taḩat ha⁠shshāmesh.)

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).

ULTFor 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?
 ⇔ 

USTNo human being can know everything that is good for himself in this life. People live for a few seemingly meaningless days. Life passes by quickly, like a shadow, and no one knows what is coming after we die.


BSBFor 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?

OEBWho can tell what is good for man during his life- time all the days of the brief and empty life that he passes like a shadow? Who can declare to a man what is to happen after him under the sun?

WEBBEFor 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)

NETFor 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.

LSVFor 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?

FBVWho 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.

T4TWe 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].

LEBFor 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?


?:? Literally “after him”

BBEWho 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?

MoffNo Moff ECC book available

JPSFor 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?

ASVFor 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?

DRANo DRA ECC 6:12 verse available

YLTFor 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?

DrbyFor 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?

RVFor 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?

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


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

6:12 Psal. 144. 4.

BshpsFor 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 vayne life, which is but a shadowe? Or who will tell a man what shall happen after him under the sunne?)

GnvaNo Gnva ECC 6:12 verse available

CvdlFor 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 vayne life, which is but a shadowe? Or, who will tell a man, what shall happen after him under the Sonne?)

WycNo Wyc ECC 6:12 verse available

LuthDenn 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 weiß, what/which to_him Menschen nütz is in_the Leben, solange he lives in his Eitelkeit, which dahinfähret like a Schatten? Oder who will to_him Menschen say, what/which after him coming becomes under the/of_the sun?)

ClVgNo ClVg ECC 6:12 verse available

BrTrWhat 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?

BrLXXΤί 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; )


TSNTyndale Study Notes:

6:12 who knows? Who can tell? These questions have already been answered. Our days can best be spent in wise living and in enjoying our work and God’s gifts (2:13-14, 24; 3:22; 5:18). What will happen on this earth is what has already happened (1:9, 10; 3:15).
• like a shadow: Cp. Pss 39:4-6; 90:3-6, 10-12; 109:23; 144:4.


UTNuW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

(Occurrence 0) For who knows what is good for man … he passes like a shadow?

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when who? knows what? good for_a,man in/on/at/with,life few days_of life futile,his and,pass,them like_a,shadow which/who who? tell to_a,anyone what? happen after,him below/instead_of the,sun )

The author uses this rhetorical question to emphasize that no person truly knows what is good for man. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this question as a statement. Alternate translation: “No one knows what is good for man … he passes like a shadow.”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

(Occurrence 0) in his life during his futile, numbered days through which he passes like a shadow

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when who? knows what? good for_a,man in/on/at/with,life few days_of life futile,his and,pass,them like_a,shadow which/who who? tell to_a,anyone what? happen after,him below/instead_of the,sun )

This speaks of how life passes quickly by saying that it is like a shadow that quickly disappears. The phrase “numbered days” emphasizes that a person’s life is short. Alternate translation: “during his futile, short life, which he passes through as quickly as a shadow passes by”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

(Occurrence 0) Who can tell a man … after he passes?

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when who? knows what? good for_a,man in/on/at/with,life few days_of life futile,his and,pass,them like_a,shadow which/who who? tell to_a,anyone what? happen after,him below/instead_of the,sun )

The author uses this rhetorical question to emphasize that no one knows what will happen after a person dies. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this question as a statement. Alternate translation: “No one can tell a man … after he passes.”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

(Occurrence 0) what will come under the sun

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when who? knows what? good for_a,man in/on/at/with,life few days_of life futile,his and,pass,them like_a,shadow which/who who? tell to_a,anyone what? happen after,him below/instead_of the,sun )

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

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism

(Occurrence 0) after he passes

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when who? knows what? good for_a,man in/on/at/with,life few days_of life futile,his and,pass,them like_a,shadow which/who who? tell to_a,anyone what? happen after,him below/instead_of the,sun )

This is a polite expression for death. Alternate translation: “after he dies”

BI Ecc 6:12 ©