Ecclesiastes 9:4
New International Version
Anyone who is among the living has hope —even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!

New Living Translation
There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!”

English Standard Version
But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Berean Standard Bible
There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.

King James Bible
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

New King James Version
But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

New American Standard Bible
For whoever is joined to all the living, there is hope; for better a live dog, than a dead lion.

NASB 1995
For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.

NASB 1977
For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.

Legacy Standard Bible
For whoever is joined with all the living, there is confidence; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.

Amplified Bible
[There is no exemption,] but whoever is joined with all the living, has hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.

Christian Standard Bible
But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion.

American Standard Version
For to him that is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Everyone who shall be joined to All Life has trust, because a living dog is better than a dead lion

Brenton Septuagint Translation
for who is he that has fellowship with all the living? there is hope of him: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Contemporary English Version
As long as we are alive, we still have hope, just as a live dog is better off than a dead lion.

Douay-Rheims Bible
There is no man that liveth always, or that hopeth for this: a living dog is better than a dead lion.

English Revised Version
For to him that is joined with all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But all who are among the living have hope, because a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Good News Translation
But anyone who is alive in the world of the living has some hope; a live dog is better off than a dead lion.

International Standard Version
"While someone is among the living, hope remains," because "it is better to be a living dog than to be a dead lion."

JPS Tanakh 1917
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Literal Standard Version
But [to] him who is joined to all the living there is confidence, for to a living dog it [is] better than to the dead lion.

Majority Standard Bible
There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.

New American Bible
For whoever is chosen among all the living has hope: “A live dog is better off than a dead lion.”

NET Bible
But whoever is among the living has hope; a live dog is better than a dead lion.

New Revised Standard Version
But whoever is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

New Heart English Bible
For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Webster's Bible Translation
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

World English Bible
For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Young's Literal Translation
But to him who is joined unto all the living there is confidence, for to a living dog it is better than to the dead lion.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Death Comes to Good and Bad
3This 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. 4There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.…

Cross References
Ecclesiastes 9:3
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.

Ecclesiastes 9:5
For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.


Treasury of Scripture

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Job 14:7-12
For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease…

Job 27:8
For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

Isaiah 38:18
For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

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Better Confidence Dead Dog Hope Joined Lion Surely
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Better Confidence Dead Dog Hope Joined Lion Surely
Ecclesiastes 9
1. like things happen to good and bad
4. there is a necessity of death unto men
7. Comfort is all their portion in this life
11. God's providence rules over all
13. wisdom is better than strength














(4) There is a various reading here in the Hebrew. Our translators, following the older translators, adopt the reading of the margin. That of the text gives, instead of "joined," a word signifying "chosen;" the best sense that can be given to which is to translate, "For who is excepted," joining it with the previous verse, beginning this one, "To all the living," &c. With regard to the statement of the following verses, comp. Psalm 6:3 and the marginal references there given. The shepherd's dog is spoken of Job 30:1, and watchdogs Isaiah 56:10. Elsewhere in the Old Testament the dog is an unclean animal living or dead.

Verse 4. - For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope. As long as a man lives (is one of living beings) he has some hope, whatever it be. This feeling is inextinguishable even unto the end.

Ἄελπτον οὐδέν πάντα δ ελπίζειν χρεών

"Hope springs eternal in the human breast." Thus Bailey sings, in 'Festus' -

"All Have hopes, however wretched they may be,
Or blessed. It is hope which lifts the lark so high,
Hope of a lighter air and bluer sky
; . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
There is
יֵ֣שׁ (yêš)
Adverb
Strong's 3426: Being, substance, existence, is

hope,
בִּטָּח֑וֹן (biṭ·ṭā·ḥō·wn)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 986: Trust

however,
כִּי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

for anyone who
מִי֙ (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

is among
יְחֻבַּ֔ר (yə·ḥub·bar)
Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 977: To try, select

the living;
הַחַיִּ֖ים (ha·ḥay·yîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

for even
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

a live
חַי֙ (ḥay)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

dog
לְכֶ֤לֶב (lə·ḵe·leḇ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3611: A dog, a male prostitute

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

than
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

a dead
הַמֵּֽת׃ (ham·mêṯ)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

lion.
הָאַרְיֵ֖ה (hā·’ar·yêh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 738: A lion


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 9:4 For to him who is joined (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 9:3
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