Ecclesiastes 9:3

Updated Bible Version

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Among all thinges that come to passe vnder the sunne, this is a miserie, that it happeneth vnto all alike: This is the cause also that the heartes of men are full of wickednesse, and madde foolishnesse is in their heartes as long as they liue, vntyll they dye.

Darby Translation
This is an evil among all that is done under the sun, that one thing befalleth all: yea, also the heart of the children of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that, [they have to go] to the dead.

New King James Version
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Literal Translation
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event to all. Yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they are alive, and after that they go to those who died.

Easy-to-Read Version
Of all the things that happen in this life, the worst thing is that all people end life the same way. But it is also very bad that people always think evil and foolish thoughts. And those thoughts lead to death.

World English Bible
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

King James Version (1611)
This is an euill among all things that are done vnder the Sunne, that there is one euent vnto all: yea also the heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill, and madnesse is in their heart while they liue, and after that they goe to the dead.

King James Version
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Amonge all thinges yt come to passe vnder the Sonne, this is a misery, that it happeneth vnto all alyke. This is the cause also that the hertes of men are full of wickednesse, & madd foolishnesse is in their hertes as longe as they lyue, vntill they dye.

Amplified Bible
This evil is in all that is done under the sun, that one fate comes to all. Also, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and afterwards they go to the dead.

American Standard Version
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Bible in Basic English
This is evil in all things which are done under the sun: that there is one fate for all, and the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; while they have life their hearts are foolish, and after that--to the dead.

Webster's Bible Translation
This [is] an evil among all [things] that are done under the sun, that [there is] one event to all: yes, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness [is] in their heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.

New English Translation
This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives—then they die.

Contemporary English Version
It's terribly unfair for the same thing to happen to each of us. We are mean and foolish while we live, and then we die.

Complete Jewish Bible
This is another evil among all those done under the sun, that the same events can occur to anyone. Truly, the human mind is full of evil; and as long as people live, folly is in their hearts; after which they go to be with the dead.

Geneva Bible (1587)
This is euill among all that is done vnder the sunne, that there is one condition to all, and also the heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill, and madnes is in their heartes whiles they liue, and after that, they goe to the dead.

George Lamsa Translation
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, for there is one chance to all; yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and grievous error is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Hebrew Names Version
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all; yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

New Living Translation
It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway.

New Life Bible
This is a bad thing in all that is done under the sun, that the same thing happens to all men. Also the hearts of men are sinful and crazy all their lives. Then they join the dead.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
There is this evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yea, the heart of the sons of men is filled with evil, and madness is in their heart during their life, and after that they go to the dead.

English Revised Version
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Berean Standard Bible
This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead.

New Revised Standard
This is an evil in all that happens under the sun, that the same fate comes to everyone. Moreover, the hearts of all are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
This was a misfortune in all that was done under the sun, that, one destiny, had they all, - yea also, the heart of the sons of men, was full of wickedness, and, madness, was in their heart, while they lived, and, after that, they went unto the dead.

Douay-Rheims Bible
This is a very great evil among all things that are done under the sun, that the same things happen to all men: whereby also the hearts of the children of men are filled with evil, and with contempt while they live, and afterwards they shall be brought down to hell.

Lexham English Bible
This is the injustice that is done under the sun: the same fate comes to everyone. Also the hearts of humans are full of evil; delusion is in their hearts during their lives, and then they die.

English Standard Version
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

New American Standard Bible
This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of mankind are full of evil, and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterward they go to the dead.

New Century Version
This is something wrong that happens here on earth: What happens to one happens to all. So people's minds are full of evil and foolish thoughts while they live. After that, they join the dead.

Good News Translation
One fate comes to all alike, and this is as wrong as anything that happens in this world. As long as people live, their minds are full of evil and madness, and suddenly they die.

Christian Standard Bible®
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live—after that they go to the dead.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
This thing is the worste among alle thingis, that ben don vndur the sunne, that the same thingis bifallen to alle men; wherfor and the hertis of the sones of men ben fillid with malice and dispisyng in her lijf; and aftir these thingis thei schulen be led doun to hellis.

Revised Standard Version
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that one fate comes to all; also the hearts of men are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Young's Literal Translation
This [is] an evil among all that hath been done under the sun, that one event [is] to all, and also the heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness [is] in their heart during their life, and after it -- unto the dead.

Contextual Overview

¹ For all this I took to heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man does not know it; all is before them. ² All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrifices and to him that does not sacrifice; as is the good, so is the sinner; [and] he that swears, as he that fears an oath. ³ This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

also: Ecclesiastes 8:11, Genesis 6:5, Genesis 8:21, Job 15:16, Psalms 51:5, Jeremiah 17:9, Matthew 15:19, Matthew 15:20, Mark 7:21-23, Romans 1:29-31, Titus 3:3

and madness: Ecclesiastes 1:17, Ecclesiastes 7:25, Luke 6:11, Luke 15:17, Acts 26:11, Acts 26:24, 2 Peter 2:16

after: Ecclesiastes 12:7, Proverbs 14:32, Acts 12:23

Reciprocal: Genesis 19:9 - pressed Exodus 14:23 - General Numbers 14:40 - rose up Numbers 22:29 - for now would 1 Samuel 19:1 - And Saul 1 Samuel 20:32 - what hath 2 Kings 1:13 - he sent again Job 15:20 - travaileth Job 36:11 - spend Psalms 4:2 - O Proverbs 21:8 - way Ecclesiastes 1:3 - under Ecclesiastes 8:14 - a vanity Ecclesiastes 10:5 - an evil Jeremiah 16:12 - evil John 12:10 - General John 13:27 - That Acts 13:10 - O full Acts 27:42 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth.

Genesis 9:3
Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; As the green herb I have given you all.

Genesis 9:5
And surely your blood, [the blood] of your lives, I will require; At the hand of every beast I will require it. And at the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, I will require the life of man.

Genesis 9:12
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

Genesis 9:14
And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud,

Genesis 9:15
and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

Genesis 9:21
and he drank of the wine, and was drunk. And he was uncovered inside his tent.

Genesis 9:22
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.

Genesis 9:25
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; A slave of slaves he shall be to his brothers.

Genesis 9:26
And he said, Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem; And let Canaan be his slave.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

This [is] an evil among all [things] that are done under the sun, that [there is] one event unto all,.... A very great evil, a very sore one, the worst of evils. Not an evil, as the providence of God is concerned with it, who does no evil; nor is there any unrighteousness in him; he is righteous in all his ways: but this is an evil, and distressing thing, to the minds of good men; see Psalms 73:2; and is what bad men make an ill use of, to harden themselves in sin, and to despise religion as an unprofitable thing,

Job 21:14;

yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil: they are naturally full of evil, of all unrighteousness and wickedness, what comes out of them show it; and because the same things happen to good and bad men, and the wicked pass with impunity, and are outwardly happy as others, or more so, their hearts are fully set in them to do evil, Ecclesiastes 8:11;

and madness is in their heart while they live; or "madnesses" x: every sin is madness; for who but a madman would stretch out his hand against God, and strengthen himself against the Almighty, and run upon him? who but a madman would rush into sin in the manner he does, and expose himself to dangers and death, even eternal death? Wicked men are mad upon their lusts, and mad against the saints, and all that is good; this insanity is in their hearts, and shows itself in their lives, and continues with them as long as they live, unless called by grace;

and after that [they go] to the dead; after all the madness of their lives, they die and go into the state of the dead, and are among which refers not so much to the interment of bodies in the grave, as the company with which their separate spirits are; they go not to the righteous dead, but to the wicked; see Proverbs 2:18; so Alshech; they go to the dead; not to the righteous, who, in their death, or when dead are called living, but, as Jarchi observes, at their end they go down to hell. The Targum is,

"after the end of a man, it is reserved for him that he be corrected with the dead, according to the judgment (or desert) of sins.''

x הוללות "insaniae", Montanus, Mercerus, Drusius, Amama, Gejerus, Rambachius; "omnis insania", Junius & Tremellius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare Ecclesiastes 8:11. The seeming indiscriminateness of the course of events tends to encourage evil-disposed men in their folly.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 9:3. The heart of the sons of men is full of evil — No wonder then that the curse of God should be frequent in the earth.