NET Bible
"I also thought to myself,“It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly show them that they are like animals."
— Ecclesiastes 3:18, NET Bible
“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.”
“I said in my heart, It isbecause of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts. ”
“I said in my heart, "As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.”
“I said in my heart concerning the sons of men, that God would prove them, and shew them to be like beasts.”
“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.”
“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.”
Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.
The Problem of Injustice and Oppression I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.
I thought to myself,“God will judge both the righteous and the wicked; for there is an appropriate time for every activity, and there is a time of judgment for every deed.
I also thought to myself,“It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly show them that they are like animals.
For the fate of humans and the fate of animals are the same: As one dies, so dies the other; both have the same breath. There is no advantage for humans over animals, for both are fleeting.
Both go to the same place, both come from the dust, and to dust both return.
Who really knows if the human spirit ascends upward, and the animal’s spirit descends into the earth?