Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3
Tree of Life Version
16 I have also seen under the sun:
In the place of justice there was wickedness,
and in the place of righteousness there was wickedness.
17 I 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?
18 I also said in my heart, “As for the sons of man, God tests them so that they may see that they are but animals.” 19 For 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. 20 Both go to one place. Both were taken from the dust, and both return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the spirit of the sons of man ascends upward and the animal’s spirit descends into the earth?
22 So I perceived that nothing is better than for man to enjoy his works, because that is his portion. For who can bring him back to see what will be in the future?
Futility of Human Labor
4 Again I looked and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and behold,
I saw the tears of the oppressed,
but they have no comforter.
Power is in the hand of their oppressors,
but they had no comforter.
2 So I considered the dead,
who are already dead,
more fortunate than the living,
who are still alive.
3 Yet better than both
is one who has not yet been,
who has never seen the evil work
that is done under the sun.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.