Parallel Verses
A Conservative Version
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?
New American Standard Bible
Who knows that the
King James Version
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
Holman Bible
Who knows if the spirit of people rises upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth?
International Standard Version
Who knows whether the spirit of human beings ascends, and whether the spirit of animals descends to the earth?
American Standard Version
Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth?
Amplified
Who knows if the spirit of man ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth?
Bible in Basic English
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?
Darby Translation
Who knoweth the spirit of the children of men? Doth it go upwards? and the spirit of the beasts, doth it go downwards to the earth?
Julia Smith Translation
Who shall know the spirit of the sons of man? it ascending to above, and the spirit of cattle, it going downwards to the earth.
King James 2000
Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?
Lexham Expanded Bible
For no one knows [whether] the spirit of a human ascends [to heaven] and [whether] the spirit of the beast descends to the ground!
Modern King James verseion
Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward?
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the breath of the beast that goeth down into the earth?
NET Bible
Who really knows if the human spirit ascends upward, and the animal's spirit descends into the earth?
New Heart English Bible
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"
The Emphasized Bible
Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of men, whether it, ascendeth, above, - or the spirit of the beast, whether it, descendeth, below, to the earth?
Webster
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
World English Bible
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"
Youngs Literal Translation
Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of man that is going up on high, and the spirit of the beast that is going down below to the earth?
Topics
Interlinear
Yada`
`alah
ירד
Yarad
down, descend, variant, fell, let, abundantly, down by, indeed, put off, light off, out, sank, subdued, take
Usage: 378
Ma`al
References
Word Count of 20 Translations in Ecclesiastes 3:21
Verse Info
Context Readings
God's Mysterious Plan Allows Injustice To Exist In The World
20 All go to one place. All are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth? 22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion. For who shall bring him [back] to see what shall be after him?
Names
Cross References
Ecclesiastes 12:7
and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Luke 16:22-23
And it came to pass for the poor man to die and be carried by the heavenly agents to Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died and was buried.
John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will take you along to myself, so that where I am, ye may be also.
Acts 1:25
to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas transgressed to go to his own place.
2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if the earthly house of our tent were destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 Corinthians 5:8
And we are confident, and are pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be at home near the Lord.
Philippians 1:23
And I am constrained by the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, being far better.