Ecclesiastes 3:19 bbe — 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 t…

Bible in Basic English

"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."

— Ecclesiastes 3:19, Bible in Basic English

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Ecclesiastes 3:19 in Other Translations

2 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • ASV

    “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; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity. ”

Ecclesiastes 3 — Context

16

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.

17

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.

18

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.

19

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.

20

All go to one place, all are of the dust, and all will be turned to dust again.

21

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?

22

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 3:19 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ecclesiastes 3:19 say?
Ecclesiastes 3:19 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “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.”
Where is Ecclesiastes 3:19 in the Bible?
Ecclesiastes 3:19 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, verse 19.
Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes is traditionally attributed to Solomon (traditional; identified as "the Preacher, son of David"). It was written c. 940 BC.
What is the book of Ecclesiastes about?
Ecclesiastes is a candid meditation on life "under the sun" — its pleasures, its pains, and its apparent vanity. The Preacher tries wisdom, wealth, work, and pleasure, finds them all empty without God, and concludes that fearing God and keeping his commandments is the whole of man.
What are the major themes of Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes explores themes including Vanity, Time, Meaning, Fear of God, Mortality. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ecclesiastes 3:19.
What translation should I read Ecclesiastes 3:19 in?
Ecclesiastes 3:19 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Ecclesiastes 3:19?
Ecclesiastes 3:19 reads (BBE): “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.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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