Ecclesiastes 3:12
New International Version
I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.

New Living Translation
So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can.

English Standard Version
I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live;

Berean Standard Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,

King James Bible
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

New King James Version
I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,

New American Standard Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;

NASB 1995
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;

NASB 1977
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;

Legacy Standard Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to be glad and to do good in one’s lifetime;

Amplified Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good as long as they live;

Christian Standard Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life.

American Standard Version
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
I have known that there is no good in them but to gladden and do what is good in their lives

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I know that there is no good in them, except for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

Contemporary English Version
I know the best thing we can do is to always enjoy life,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice, and to do well in this life.

English Revised Version
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I realize that there's nothing better for them to do than to be cheerful and enjoy what is good in their lives.

Good News Translation
So I realized that all we can do is be happy and do the best we can while we are still alive.

International Standard Version
I have concluded that the only worthwhile thing for them is to take pleasure in doing good in life;

JPS Tanakh 1917
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live.

Literal Standard Version
I have known that there is no good for them except to rejoice and to do good during their life,

Majority Standard Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,

New American Bible
I recognized that there is nothing better than to rejoice and to do well during life.

NET Bible
I have concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live,

New Revised Standard Version
I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live;

New Heart English Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

Webster's Bible Translation
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

World English Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

Young's Literal Translation
I have known that there is no good for them except to rejoice and to do good during their life,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God's Works Remain Forever
11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end. 12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live, 13and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 12:7
There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your households shall eat and rejoice in all you do, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

Deuteronomy 12:18
Instead, you must eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose--you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates. Rejoice before the LORD your God in all you do,

Deuteronomy 26:11
So you shall rejoice--you, the Levite, and the foreigner dwelling among you--in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household.

Ecclesiastes 2:3
I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly--my mind still guiding me with wisdom--until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

Ecclesiastes 2:24
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.

Ecclesiastes 8:15
So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.


Treasury of Scripture

I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

but

Ecclesiastes 3:22
Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Ecclesiastes 9:7-9
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works…

Deuteronomy 28:63
And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.

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Ecclesiastes 3
1. by the necessary change of times, vanity is added to human travail
11. is an excellence in God's works
16. as for man, God shall judge his works hereafter, though here he be like a beast














(12) I know.--Literally, I knew: i.e., I came to know. The writer is relating the conclusions at which he successively arrived.

To do good.--This phrase is always used elsewhere in a moral sense: "to act rightly." When enjoyment is meant, the phrase used is, as in the next verse, "to see good;" but the context seems to require that this sense should be given to the phrase in this verse also.

Verse 12. - I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice; rather, I knew, perceived, that there was no good for them; i.e. for men. From the facts adduced, Koheleth learned this practical result - that man had nothing in his own power (see on Ecclesiastes 2:24) which would conduce to his happiness, but to make the best of life such as he finds it. Vulgate, Cognovi quod non esset melius nisi laetari. To do good in his life; Τοῦ ποιεῖν ἀγαθόν; (Septuagint); Facere bene (Vulgate). This has been taken by many in the sense of "doing one's self good, prospering, enjoying one's self." like the Greek εϋ πράττειν, and therefore nearly equivalent to "rejoice" in the former part of the verse. But the expression is best taken here, as when it occurs elsewhere (e.g. Ecclesiastes 7:20), in a moral sense, and it thus teaches the great truth that virtue is essential to happiness, that to "trust in the Lord... to depart from evil, and to do good" (Psalm 36:3, 27), will bring peace and content (see in the epilogue, Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14). There is no Epicureanism in this verse; the enjoyment spoken of is not licentiousness, but a happy appreciation of the innocent pleasures which the love of God offers to those who live in accordance with the laws of their higher nature.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I know
יָדַ֕עְתִּי (yā·ḏa‘·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3045: To know

that
כִּ֛י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

there is nothing
אֵ֥ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

better
ט֖וֹב (ṭō·wḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

for [men] than
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

to rejoice
לִשְׂמ֔וֹחַ (liś·mō·w·aḥ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8055: To brighten up, be, blithe, gleesome

and do
וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (wə·la·‘ă·śō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

good
ט֖וֹב (ṭō·wḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

while they live,
בְּחַיָּֽיו׃ (bə·ḥay·yāw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 3:12 I know that there is nothing better (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 3:11
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