Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, July 31st, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible
Douay-Rheims Bible
Ecclesiastes 3:9
What hath man more of his labour?
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- EveryParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
What does the worker gain from his struggles?
What does the worker gain from his struggles?
Hebrew Names Version
What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
King James Version
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
English Standard Version
What gain has the worker from his toil?
What gain has the worker from his toil?
New American Standard Bible
What benefit is there for the worker from that in which he labors?
What benefit is there for the worker from that in which he labors?
New Century Version
Do people really gain anything from their work?
Do people really gain anything from their work?
Amplified Bible
What profit is there for the worker from that in which he labors?
What profit is there for the worker from that in which he labors?
World English Bible
What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
Geneva Bible (1587)
What profite hath hee that worketh of the thing wherein he trauaileth?
What profite hath hee that worketh of the thing wherein he trauaileth?
Legacy Standard Bible
What advantage is there to the worker from that in which he labors?
What advantage is there to the worker from that in which he labors?
Berean Standard Bible
What does the worker gain from his toil?
What does the worker gain from his toil?
Contemporary English Version
What do we gain by all of our hard work?
What do we gain by all of our hard work?
Complete Jewish Bible
What does the worker gain from his efforts?
What does the worker gain from his efforts?
Darby Translation
What profit hath he that worketh from that wherein he laboureth?
What profit hath he that worketh from that wherein he laboureth?
Easy-to-Read Version
Do people really gain anything from their hard work?
Do people really gain anything from their hard work?
George Lamsa Translation
What profit has the worker in his labor?
What profit has the worker in his labor?
Good News Translation
What do we gain from all our work?
What do we gain from all our work?
Lexham English Bible
What does the worker gain in his toil?
What does the worker gain in his toil?
Literal Translation
What advantage has he who works in that which he did as a laborer?
What advantage has he who works in that which he did as a laborer?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
What hath a ma els (that doth eny thinge) but weerynesse and laboure?
What hath a ma els (that doth eny thinge) but weerynesse and laboure?
American Standard Version
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?
Bible in Basic English
What profit has the worker in the work which he does?
What profit has the worker in the work which he does?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
What profit hath he that worketh in that he laboureth?
What profit hath he that worketh in that he laboureth?
King James Version (1611)
What profite hath hee that worketh, in that wherein he laboureth?
What profite hath hee that worketh, in that wherein he laboureth?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
What hath a man els that doth any thyng, but weerinesse and labour?
What hath a man els that doth any thyng, but weerinesse and labour?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
What advantage has he that works in those things wherein he labours?
What advantage has he that works in those things wherein he labours?
English Revised Version
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
What hath a man more of his trauel?
What hath a man more of his trauel?
Update Bible Version
What profit has he that works in that wherein he labors?
What profit has he that works in that wherein he labors?
Webster's Bible Translation
What profit hath he that worketh in that in which he laboreth?
What profit hath he that worketh in that in which he laboreth?
New English Translation
What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?
What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?
New King James Version
What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?
What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?
New Living Translation
What do people really get for all their hard work?
What do people really get for all their hard work?
New Life Bible
What does the worker get for his work?
What does the worker get for his work?
New Revised Standard
What gain have the workers from their toil?
What gain have the workers from their toil?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
What profit hath he that worketh, in that wherein, himself, hath toiled?
What profit hath he that worketh, in that wherein, himself, hath toiled?
Revised Standard Version
What gain has the worker from his toil?
What gain has the worker from his toil?
Young's Literal Translation
What advantage hath the doer in that which he is labouring at?
What advantage hath the doer in that which he is labouring at?
THE MESSAGE
But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I've had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he's left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he's coming or going. I've decided that there's nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That's it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It's God's gift.
But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I've had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he's left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he's coming or going. I've decided that there's nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That's it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It's God's gift.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?
What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?
Contextual Overview
1 All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to destroy, and a time to build. 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance. 5 A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces. 6 A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away. 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak. 8 A time of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace. 9 What hath man more of his labour? 10 I have seen the trouble, which God hath given the sons of men to be exercised in it.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Ecclesiastes 1:3, Ecclesiastes 2:11, Ecclesiastes 2:22, Ecclesiastes 2:23, Ecclesiastes 5:16, Proverbs 14:23, Matthew 16:26
Cross-References
Genesis 3:12
And Adam said: The woman, whom thou gavest me to be my companion, gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
And Adam said: The woman, whom thou gavest me to be my companion, gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
Genesis 3:13
And the Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? And she answered: The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.
And the Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? And she answered: The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.
Genesis 3:17
And to Adam he said: Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee, that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work: with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life.
And to Adam he said: Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee, that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work: with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life.
Genesis 3:19
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the earth out of which thou wast taken: for dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return.
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the earth out of which thou wast taken: for dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return.
Genesis 3:20
And Adam called the name of his wife Eve: because she was the mother of all the living.
And Adam called the name of his wife Eve: because she was the mother of all the living.
Genesis 3:21
And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.
And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.
Genesis 4:9
And the Lord said to Cain: Where is thy brother Abel? And he answered: I know not: am I my brother’s keeper?
And the Lord said to Cain: Where is thy brother Abel? And he answered: I know not: am I my brother’s keeper?
Genesis 11:5
And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of Adam were building.
And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of Adam were building.
Genesis 16:8
He said to her: Agar, handmaid of Sarai, whence comest thou? and whither goest thou? And she answered: I flee from the face of Sarai, my mistress.
He said to her: Agar, handmaid of Sarai, whence comest thou? and whither goest thou? And she answered: I flee from the face of Sarai, my mistress.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?] That is, he has none. This is an inference drawn from the above premises, and confirms what has been before observed, Ecclesiastes 1:3; Man has no profit of his labour, since his time is so short to enjoy it, and he leaves it to another, he knows not who; and, while he lives, is attended with continual vicissitudes and changes; sometimes it is a time for one thing, and sometimes for its contrary, so that there is nothing certain, and to be depended on; and a man can promise himself nothing in this world pleasant or profitable to him, and much less that will be of any advantage to him hereafter. The Targum adds,
"to make treasures and gather mammon, unless he is helped by Providence above;''
though it is man's duty to labour, yet all his toil and labour will be fruitless without a divine blessing; there is a time and season for everything in providence, and there is no striving against that.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Ecclesiastes 3:9. What profit hath he — What real good, what solid pleasure, is derived from all the labours of man? Necessity drives him to the principal part of his cares and toils; he labours that he may eat and drink; and he eats and drinks that he may be preserved alive, and kept from sickness and pain. Love of money, the basest of all passions, and restless ambition, drive men to many labours and expedients, which perplex and often destroy them. He, then, who lives without God, travails in pain all his days.
