American Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 9:3
3This 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.
Ecclesiastes 9:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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 King James Version (NKJV)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.
Context of Ecclesiastes 9:3
1For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them. 2All 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 sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. 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. 4For to him that is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 9Ecclesiastes 9:3 word by word
זֶ֣ה׀ רָ֗ע בְּכֹ֤ל אֲשֶֽׁר־נַעֲשָׂה֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ כִּֽי־מִקְרֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד לַכֹּ֑ל וְגַ֣ם לֵ֣ב בְּֽנֵי־הָ֠אָדָם מָלֵא־רָ֨ע וְהוֹלֵל֤וֹת בִּלְבָבָם֙ בְּחַיֵּיהֶ֔ם וְאַחֲרָ֖יו אֶל־הַמֵּתִֽים׃Read the interlinear
- evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
- oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- alsoגַּםgam · alsoH1571
- heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- fullמָלֵאmâlê' mâlâ' · to fillH4390
- evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- madnessהוֹלֵלָהhôlêlâh · madnessH1947
- heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:3
- Ecclesiastes 8:11Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
- Genesis 6:5And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
- Genesis 8:21And Jehovah smelled the sweet savor; and Jehovah said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake, for that the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have done.
- Job 15:16How much less one that is abominable and corrupt, A man that drinketh iniquity like water!
- Psalms 51:5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.
- Jeremiah 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?
- Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings:
- Mark 7:21For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,
- Romans 1:29being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
- Ecclesiastes 1:17And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.
- Ecclesiastes 7:25I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
- Luke 6:11But they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
- Luke 15:17But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger!
- Acts 26:11And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.
- 2 Peter 2:16but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spake with man’s voice and stayed the madness of the prophet.
- Ecclesiastes 12:7and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The heart of the sons of men is full of evil - No wonder then that the curse of God should be frequent in the earth.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Compare Ecclesiastes 8:11. The seeming indiscriminateness of the course of events tends to encourage evil-disposed men in their folly.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3When authorities delay punishments, including death, people may continue their reckless behavior and increase their wrongdoing and foolishness.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Translate, "There is an evil above all (evils) that are done," &c., namely, that not only "there is one event to all," but "also the heart of the sons of men" makes this fact a reason for "madly" persisting in "evil while they live, and after that," &c., sin is "madness." the dead--(Pr 2:18; 9:18).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries