Parallel Verses
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
I communed with mine own heart also concerning the children of men: how God hath chosen them, and yet letteth them appear as though they were beasts.
New American Standard Bible
I said
King James Version
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.
Holman Bible
I said to myself, “This happens concerning people, so that God may test them and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.”
International Standard Version
"As for human beings," I told myself, "God puts them to the test, that they might see themselves as mere animals."
A Conservative Version
I said in my heart, [It is] because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are beasts.
American Standard Version
I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.
Amplified
I said to myself regarding the sons of men, “God is surely testing them in order for them to see that [by themselves, without God] they are [only] animals.”
Bible in Basic English
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.
Darby Translation
I said in my heart, It is thus with the children of men, that God may prove them, and that they should see that they themselves are but beasts.
Julia Smith Translation
I said in my heart concerning the speeches of the sons of man, for God to separate them, and for them to see that they are cattle to themselves.
King James 2000
I said in my heart concerning the condition of the sons of men, that God might reveal them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Lexham Expanded Bible
I said to myself concerning {humans}, "God sifts them in order to show them that they are like beasts."
Modern King James verseion
I said in my heart concerning the matter of sons of men, that God might reveal them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
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.
New Heart English Bible
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.
The Emphasized Bible
Said, I, in my heart, as concerning the sons of men, That God was minded to prove them, - and that they might see, that they were beasts, of themselves.
Webster
I said in my heart concerning the state of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
World English Bible
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.
Youngs Literal Translation
I said in my heart concerning the matter of the sons of man that God might cleanse them, so as to see that they themselves are beasts.
Interlinear
Leb
'elohiym
Barar
References
Morish
Word Count of 20 Translations in Ecclesiastes 3:18
Verse Info
Context Readings
God's Mysterious Plan Allows Injustice To Exist In The World
17 Then thought I in my mind, "God shall separate the righteous from the ungodly, and then shall be the time and judgment of all counsels and works." 18 I communed with mine own heart also concerning the children of men: how God hath chosen them, and yet letteth them appear as though they were beasts. 19 For it happeneth unto men as it doth unto beasts, and as the one dieth, so dieth the other. Yea, they have both one manner of breath, so that - in this - a man hath no preeminence above a beast, but all are subdued unto vanity.
Cross References
Psalm 73:22
So foolish was I, and ignorant, even as it were a beast before thee.
Genesis 3:17-19
And unto Adam he said, "Forasmuch as thou hast obeyed the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying 'See thou eat not thereof' cursed be the earth for thy sake. In sorrow shalt thou eat thereof all days of thy life:
Job 14:1-4
Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of divers miseries.
Job 15:16
How much more then an abominable and vile man, which drinketh wickedness like water?
Job 40:8
Wilt thou disannul my judgment? Or wilt thou condemn me, that thou thyself mayest be made righteous?
Psalm 49:12
Nevertheless, man will not abide in honour, seeing he may be compared unto the beasts that perish; this is the way of them.
Psalm 49:14
They lie in the hell like sheep, death gnaweth upon them, and the righteous shall have domination of them in the morning. Their beauty shall consume in the sepulchre, and hell shall be their dwelling.
Psalm 49:19-20
But when he followeth his fathers' generation, he shall never see light any more.
Psalm 51:4
Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and clear when thou shalt judge.
Psalm 73:18-19
Namely, how thou hast set them in a slippery places, that thou mayest cast them down headlong and destroy them.
Psalm 90:5-12
As soon as thou scatterest them, they are even as asleep, and fade away suddenly like the grass.
Romans 3:4
God forbid. Let God be true, and all men liars, as it is written, "That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and shouldest overcome when thou art judged."
Romans 9:23
that he might declare the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had prepared unto glory:
Hebrews 9:27
And as it is appointed unto men that they shall once die, and then cometh the judgment,
1 Peter 1:24
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is as the flower of grass; the grass is withered, and the flower falleth away,
2 Peter 2:12
But these, as brute beasts, naturally made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of that they know not, and shall perish through their own destruction,