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. 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.
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 No 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.

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?

OEB Who 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?

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 No Moff ECC book available

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?

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 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.

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

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 vayne 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 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?)

ClVg No ClVg ECC 6:12 verse available

UTN uW 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

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?

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

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

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

Parallel ECC 6:12