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Tuesday, August 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Ecclesiastes 6:5

It never sees the light of day or knows what life is like, but at least it has found rest—

Bible Study Resources

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for September 8;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Though a stillborn child does not see the sun and is not conscious, it has more rest than he.
Hebrew Names Version
Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.
King James Version
Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
English Standard Version
Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he.
New American Standard Bible
"It has not even seen the sun nor does it know it; yet it is better off than that man.
New Century Version
That baby never saw the sun and never knew anything, but it finds more rest than that man.
Amplified Bible
"It has not seen the sun nor had any knowledge; yet it has more rest and is better off than he.
World English Bible
Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Also he hath not seene ye sunne, nor knowen it: therefore this hath more rest then the other.
Legacy Standard Bible
Indeed, that one never sees the sun and never knows anything; that one has more rest than he.
Berean Standard Bible
A stillborn child has more rest than he-though never seeing the sun or knowing anything-
Complete Jewish Bible
and although it has never seen or known the sun, it is more content than he is,
Darby Translation
moreover it hath not seen nor known the sun: this hath rest rather than the other.
Easy-to-Read Version
The baby never saw the sun and never knew anything. But the baby finds more rest than the man who never enjoyed what God gave him.
George Lamsa Translation
Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known anything, yet this one has more rest than the other.
Lexham English Bible
He has neither seen nor known the sun, yet he has more rest than him.
Literal Translation
Also he has not seen nor known the sun; this one has more rest than that one .
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Morouer, he seyth not the Sonne, and knoweth of no rest nether here ner there:
American Standard Version
moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather than the other:
Bible in Basic English
Yes, it saw not the sun, and it had no knowledge; it is better with this than with the other.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath gratification rather than the other;
King James Version (1611)
Moreouer hee hath not seene the Sunne, nor knowen any thing: this hath more rest then the other.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Moreouer he seeth not the sunne, and knoweth not of it: and yet hath he more rest then the other.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known rest: there is no more rest to this one than another.
English Revised Version
moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather than the other:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He siy not the sunne, nether knew dyuersyte of good and of yuel;
Update Bible Version
moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it; this has rest rather than the other:
Webster's Bible Translation
Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known [any thing]: this hath more rest than the other.
New English Translation
though it never saw the light of day nor knew anything, yet it has more rest than that man—
New King James Version
Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man,
New Living Translation
and he would never have seen the sun or known of its existence. Yet he would have had more peace than in growing up to be an unhappy man.
New Life Bible
It never sees the sun and it never knows anything. It is better off than he.
New Revised Standard
moreover it has not seen the sun or known anything; yet it finds rest rather than he.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
even the sun, it never saw, nor aught did it know, - more quietness, hath this than the other.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He hath not seen the sun, nor known the distance of good and evil:
Revised Standard Version
moreover it has not seen the sun or known anything; yet it finds rest rather than he.
Young's Literal Translation
Even the sun he hath not seen nor known, more rest hath this than that.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"It never sees the sun and it never knows anything; it is better off than he.

Contextual Overview

1 I have noticed that in this world a serious injustice is done. 2 God will give us wealth, honor, and property, yes, everything we want, but then will not let us enjoy it. Some stranger will enjoy it instead. It is useless, and it just isn't right. 3 We may have a hundred children and live a long time, but no matter how long we live, if we do not get our share of happiness and do not receive a decent burial, then I say that a baby born dead is better off. 4 It does that baby no good to be born; it disappears into darkness, where it is forgotten. 5 It never sees the light of day or knows what life is like, but at least it has found rest— 6 more so than the man who never enjoys life, though he may live two thousand years. After all, both of them are going to the same place.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

this: Job 3:10-13, Job 14:1, Psalms 58:8, Psalms 90:7-9

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
When people had spread all over the world, and daughters were being born,
Genesis 6:3
Then the Lord said, "I will not allow people to live forever; they are mortal. From now on they will live no longer than 120 years."
Genesis 6:4
In those days, and even later, there were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and the heavenly beings. They were the great heroes and famous men of long ago.
Genesis 6:9
This is the story of Noah. He had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Noah had no faults and was the only good man of his time. He lived in fellowship with God,
Genesis 6:19
Take into the boat with you a male and a female of every kind of animal and of every kind of bird, in order to keep them alive.
Genesis 6:21
Take along all kinds of food for you and for them."
Genesis 8:21
The odor of the sacrifice pleased the Lord , and he said to himself, "Never again will I put the earth under a curse because of what people do; I know that from the time they are young their thoughts are evil. Never again will I destroy all living beings, as I have done this time.
Genesis 13:13
whose people were wicked and sinned against the Lord .
Deuteronomy 29:19
Make sure that there is no one here today who hears these solemn demands and yet convinces himself that all will be well with him, even if he stubbornly goes his own way. That would destroy all of you, good and evil alike.
Job 15:16
And we drink evil as if it were water; yes, we are corrupt; we are worthless.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Moreover, he hath not seen the sun,.... This must be spoken of the abortive, and seems to confirm the sense of the former text, as belonging to it; and whereas it has never seen the light of the sun, nor enjoyed the pleasure and comfort of it, it is no ways distressing to it to be without it. The Targum is,

"the light of the law he seeth not; and knoweth not between good and evil, to judge between this world and that to come:''

so the Vulgate Latin version, "neither knows the difference of good and evil";

nor known [anything]; not the sun, nor anything else: or "experienced" z and "felt" the heat of the sun, and its comfortable influences; which a man may, who is blind, and has never seen it, but an abortive has not; and indeed has known no man, nor any creature nor thing in this world, and therefore it is no concern to it to be without them; and besides, has never had any knowledge or experience of the troubles of lifts, which every living man is liable to. Wherefore this is certain,

this hath more rest than the other; that is, the abortive than the covetous man; having never been distressed with the troubles of life, and now not affected with the sense of loss.

z ולא ידע "ueque expertus est", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Rambachius, so Broughton.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Rather, it hath not seen nor known the sun: this (the untimely birth) hath rest rather than the other.


 
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