Ecclesiastes 3:17-19

Tree of Life Version

¹⁷I said in my heart:
“The righteous and the wicked,
God will judge.
For there is a time for every activity
and for every deed.”

Humans Same As Beasts?

¹⁸I also said in my heart, “As for the sons of man, God tests them so that they may see that they are but animals.” ¹⁹For the destiny of humankind and the destiny of animals are one and the same. As one dies, so dies the other. Both have the same breath—a human has no advantage over an animal—both are fleeting.

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Ecclesiastes 3:17-19

New International Version

¹⁷I said to myself,

“God will bring into judgment^(A)
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time to judge every deed.”^(B)

¹⁸I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.^(C) ¹⁹Surely the fate of human beings^(D) is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath^[a]; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.

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