Ecclesiastes 3:17-21
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 3
17I said to myself, 'God will judge the righteous and the wicked,' for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. 18I said to myself regarding the sons of mankind, 'God is testing them in order for them to see that they are as animals, they to themselves.' 19For the fate of the sons of mankind and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath, and there is no advantage for mankind over animals, for all is futility. 20All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. 21Who knows that the spirit of the sons of mankind ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth?King James Version
Chapter 3
17I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. 18I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 3
17I said to myself, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every work." 18I said to myself, "This happens so that God may test the children of Adam and they may see for themselves that they are like animals." 19For the fate of the children of Adam and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile. 20All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust. 21Who knows if the spirits of the children of Adam go upward and the spirits of animals go downward to the earth?New Living Translation
Chapter 3
17I said to myself, 'In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.'
18I also thought about the human condition — how God proves to people that they are like animals.
19For people and animals share the same fate — both breathe and both must die. So people have no real advantage over the animals. How meaningless!
20Both go to the same place — they came from dust and they return to dust.
21For who can prove that the human spirit goes up and the spirit of animals goes down into the earth?
English Standard Version
Chapter 3
17I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. 18I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. 19For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. 20All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. 21Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?New International Version
18I also said to myself, 'As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.
19Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.
20All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.
21Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?'
New King James Version
18I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.”
19For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.
20All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
21Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?