19 (A)For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts [a]is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is [b]vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the (B)dust and all return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the (C)breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:19 Lit and they have one fate
  2. Ecclesiastes 3:19 Or futility

19 Surely the fate of human beings(A) is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[a]; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.(B) 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward(C) and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:19 Or spirit