Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB
New International Version NIV
16 I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness.
16
And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
17 I said to myself, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every work."
17
I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”
18 I said to myself, "This happens concerning people, so that God may test them and they may see for themselves that they are like animals."
18
I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.
19 For the fate of people and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals, for everything is futile.
19
Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath ; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.
20 All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.
20
All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.
21 Who knows if the spirit of people rises upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth?
21
Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
22 I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities, because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?
22
So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.