Parallel Verses

Holman Bible

“Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow.
Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain,
gathering possessions
without knowing who will get them.

New American Standard Bible

“Surely every man walks about as a phantom;
Surely they make an uproar for nothing;
He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.

King James Version

Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

International Standard Version

In fact, people walk around as shadows. Surely, they busy themselves for nothing, heaping up possessions but not knowing who will get them.

A Conservative Version

Surely every man walks in a shadow. Surely they are disquieted in vain. He heaps up, and knows not who shall gather them.

American Standard Version

Surely every man walketh in a vain show; Surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up riches , and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Amplified


“Surely every man walks around like a shadow [in a charade];
Surely they make an uproar for nothing;
Each one builds up riches, not knowing who will receive them.

Bible in Basic English

Truly, every man goes on his way like an image; he is troubled for no purpose: he makes a great store of wealth, and has no knowledge of who will get it.

Darby Translation

Verily, man walketh in a vain show; verily they are disquieted in vain; he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Julia Smith Translation

Surely in a shadow a man will go about: surely they will be disquieted in vain: he will store up, and he knew not who shall gather them.

King James 2000

Surely every man walks in a vain show: surely they are in turmoil in vain: he heaps up riches, and knows not who shall gather them.

Lexham Expanded Bible

Surely a man walks about as a [mere] {shadow}; surely in vain they bustle about. He heaps up [possessions] but does not know who [will] gather them [in].

Modern King James verseion

Surely a man walks about like a shadow! Surely they are in an uproar in vain. He heaps up, and does not know who shall gather them.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Yea every man walketh as it were a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.

NET Bible

Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away."

New Heart English Bible

"Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn't know who shall gather.

The Emphasized Bible

Surely as a shadow, doth every man wander, Surely in vain, do they bustle about, he heapeth things up, and knoweth not who shall gather them in.

Webster

Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

World English Bible

"Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn't know who shall gather.

Youngs Literal Translation

Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, in vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.

References

Fausets

Context Readings

The Fleeting Nature Of Life

5 You, indeed, have made my days short in length,
and my life span as nothing in Your sight.
Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor.Selah
6 “Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow.
Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain,
gathering possessions
without knowing who will get them.
7 Now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.

Cross References

Ecclesiastes 2:26

For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

Luke 12:20-21

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’

1 Corinthians 7:31

and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away.

Job 27:16-17

Though he piles up silver like dust
and heaps up a wardrobe like clay—

Ecclesiastes 5:14

That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed.

James 4:14

You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.

Psalm 49:10-11

For one can see that wise men die;
foolish and stupid men also pass away.
Then they leave their wealth to others.

Psalm 127:2

In vain you get up early and stay up late,
working hard to have enough food—
yes, He gives sleep to the one He loves.

Proverbs 13:22

A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren,
but the sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

Proverbs 23:5

As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears,
for it makes wings for itself
and flies like an eagle to the sky.

Proverbs 27:24

for wealth is not forever;
not even a crown lasts for all time.

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:8

I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered male and female singers for myself, and many concubines, the delights of men.

Ecclesiastes 2:17-21

Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-8

Again, I saw futility under the sun:

Ecclesiastes 6:11-12

For when there are many words, they increase futility. What is the advantage for man?

Ecclesiastes 12:8

“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13

When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity.

Isaiah 55:2

Why do you spend money on what is not food,
and your wages on what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
and you will enjoy the choicest of foods.

Luke 10:40-42

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”

Luke 12:29

Don’t keep striving for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don’t be anxious.

James 5:3

Your silver and gold are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored up treasure in the last days!

1 Peter 1:24

For

All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like a flower of the grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,

1 Peter 5:7

casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain