Ecclesiastes 3

Ecclesiastes · Chapter 3

Ecclesiastes 3:21

1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?10I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.11He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.12I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.13And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.14I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.15That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.16And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.17I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.18I 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.19For 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.20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?22Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth?Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth?

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
who?מִ֣יmiH4310
who?

מִי (mi) who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

[is] knowingיוֹדֵ֗עַyo-DE-a'H3045
to know

יָדַע (ya.da) 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) …

[the] spirit ofר֚וּחַRU-achH7307G
spirit

רוּחַ (ru.ach) : spirit 1) wind, breath, mind, spirit 1a) breath 1b) wind 1b1) of heaven 1b2) quarter (of wind), side 1b3) breath of air 1b4) air, gas 1b5) vain, empty thing 1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation) 1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour 1c2) courage 1c3) temper, anger 1c4) impatience, patience 1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented) 1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse 1c7) prophetic spirit 1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals) …

[the] children ofבְּנֵ֣יbe-NEIH1121GNo entry
the humankindהָאָדָ֔םha-'a-DAMH0120G
man

אָדָם (a.dam) 1) man, mankind 1a) man, human being 1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT) 1c) Adam, first man 1d) city in Jordan valley

that is going upהָעֹלָ֥הha-'o-LAHH5927G
to ascend: rise

עָלָה (a.lah) : rise/go 1) to go up, ascend, climb 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go up, ascend 1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat 1a3) to go up, come up (of animals) 1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation) 1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon) 1a6) to come up (before God) 1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary) 1a8) to excel, be superior to 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away 1b2) to take oneself away 1b3) to be exalted 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up 1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away …

itהִ֖יאhi'H1931
he/she/it

הוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)

to upwards towardsלְמָ֑עְלָהle-MA-'e-lahH4605
above

מַ֫עַל (ma.al) subst 1) higher part, upper part adv 1a) above prep 1b) on the top of, above, on higher ground than with locative 1c) upwards, higher, above

and [the] spirit ofוְר֙וּחַ֙ve-RU-achH7307G
spirit

רוּחַ (ru.ach) : spirit 1) wind, breath, mind, spirit 1a) breath 1b) wind 1b1) of heaven 1b2) quarter (of wind), side 1b3) breath of air 1b4) air, gas 1b5) vain, empty thing 1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation) 1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour 1c2) courage 1c3) temper, anger 1c4) impatience, patience 1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented) 1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse 1c7) prophetic spirit 1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals) …

the animal[s]הַבְּהֵמָ֔הha-be-he-MAHH0929
animal

בְּהֵמָה (be.he.mah) 1) beast, cattle, animal 1a) beasts (coll of all animals) 1b) cattle, livestock (of domestic animals) 1c) wild beasts

that is going downהַיֹּרֶ֥דֶתhai-yo-RE-detH3381
to go down

יָרַד (ya.rad) 1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come down 1a2) to sink 1a3) to be prostrated 1a4) to come down (of revelation) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to bring down 1b2) to send down 1b3) to take down 1b4) to lay prostrate 1b5) to let down 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought down 1c2) to be taken down

itהִ֖יאhi'H1931
he/she/it

הוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)

to downwardsלְמַ֥טָּהle-MA-tahH4295
beneath

מַ֫טָּה (mat.tah) 1) downwards, below 1a) downwards 1b) under (of age) 1c) beneath

to the earthלָאָֽרֶץ׃la-'A-retzH0776H
earth: soil

אֲרַע (a.ra) : soil earth, world, ground Aramaic of e.rets (אֶ֫רֶץ ": soil" H0776H)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.