Bible in Basic English
And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from God.
I am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.
Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.
And again, I saw under the sun, in the place of the judges, that evil was there; and in the place of righteousness, that evil was there.
I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.
I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.
Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.
All go to one place, all are of the dust, and all will be turned to dust again.
Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth?
So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work--because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?
— Ecclesiastes 3:13-1964, Bible in Basic English
“And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I 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. I 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. For 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. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? ”
I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.
He has made everything right in its time; but he has made their hearts without knowledge, so that man is unable to see the works of God, from the first to the last.
I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.
And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from God.
I am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.
Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.
And again, I saw under the sun, in the place of the judges, that evil was there; and in the place of righteousness, that evil was there.
I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.
I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.
Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.
All go to one place, all are of the dust, and all will be turned to dust again.
Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth?
So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work--because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?