Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten. New Living Translation The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. English Standard Version For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Berean Standard Bible 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. King James Bible For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. New King James Version For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten. New American Standard Bible For the living know that they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor do they have a reward any longer, for their memory is forgotten. NASB 1995 For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. NASB 1977 For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. Legacy Standard Bible For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Amplified Bible For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they no longer have a reward [here], for the memory of them is forgotten. Christian Standard Bible For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. Holman Christian Standard Bible For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. American Standard Version For 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. Contemporary English Version We know we will die, but the dead don't know a thing. Nothing good will happen to them--they are gone and forgotten. English Revised Version For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. GOD'S WORD® Translation The living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything. There is no more reward for the dead when the memory of them has faded. Good News Translation Yes, the living know they are going to die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward; they are completely forgotten. International Standard Version At least the living know they will die, but the dead know nothing; they no longer have a reward, since memory about them has been forgotten. Majority Standard Bible 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. NET Bible For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything; they have no further reward--and even the memory of them disappears. New Heart English Bible For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Webster's Bible Translation For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. World English Bible For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for their memory is forgotten. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionFor the living know that they die, and the dead do not know anything, and there is no more reward to them, for their remembrance has been forgotten. Young's Literal Translation For the living know that they die, and the dead know not anything, and there is no more to them a reward, for their remembrance hath been forgotten. Smith's Literal Translation For the living know they shall die: and the dead know not any thing, and no more to them a reward; for their remembrance was forgotten. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleFor the living know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing more, neither have they a reward any more: for the memory of them is forgotten. Catholic Public Domain Version For the living know that they themselves will die, yet truly the dead know nothing anymore, nor do they have any recompense. For the memory of them is forgotten. New American Bible For the living know that they are to die, but the dead no longer know anything. There is no further recompense for them, because all memory of them is lost. New Revised Standard Version The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no more reward, and even the memory of them is lost. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor 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. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Because the living know that they are dying, and the dead do not know a thing, and there is no more reward for them, because their memory is forgotten OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Brenton Septuagint Translation For the living will know that they shall die: but the dead know nothing, and there is no longer any reward to them; for their memory is lost. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Death Comes to Good and Bad…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. 6Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun.… Cross References Psalm 146:4 When his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish. Job 14:21 If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware. Isaiah 38:18-19 For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness. / The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness. Psalm 6:5 For there is no mention of You in death; who can praise You from Sheol? Job 7:9-10 As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. / He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more. Daniel 12:2 And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt. Psalm 115:17 It is not the dead who praise the LORD, nor any who descend into silence. Isaiah 26:14 The dead will not live; the departed spirits will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them; You have wiped out all memory of them. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. / For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. John 11:11-14 After He had said this, He told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.” / His disciples replied, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get better.” / They thought that Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but He was speaking about the death of Lazarus. ... 1 Corinthians 15:18-20 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. / If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men. / But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Luke 16:22-23 One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried. / In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side. Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven telling me to write, “Blessed are the dead—those who die in the Lord from this moment on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— / in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. John 5:28-29 Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice / and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. Treasury of Scripture For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. the living Ecclesiastes 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Job 30:23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: the dead Job 14:21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them. Psalm 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? Psalm 88:10,11 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah… for the Ecclesiastes 2:16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. Ecclesiastes 8:10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity. Job 7:8-10 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not… Jump to Previous Conscious Dead Death Die Forgotten Further Longer Memory Remembrance RewardJump to Next Conscious Dead Death Die Forgotten Further Longer Memory Remembrance RewardEcclesiastes 9 1. like things happen to good and bad4. 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 For the living know that they will die This phrase highlights the awareness of mortality that distinguishes the living from the dead. In biblical context, this awareness is a recurring theme, as seen in Psalm 90:12, which encourages believers to "number our days" to gain wisdom. The acknowledgment of death serves as a reminder of the transient nature of life, urging individuals to live with purpose and in accordance with God's will. Historically, this understanding of mortality was prevalent in ancient Near Eastern cultures, where life was often seen as fleeting and uncertain. but the dead know nothing They have no further reward because the memory of them is forgotten Persons / Places / Events 1. SolomonTraditionally considered the author of Ecclesiastes, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. Ecclesiastes is part of the wisdom literature in the Bible, reflecting on the meaning of life and the human condition. 2. Israel The nation to which Solomon belonged. The cultural and religious context of Israel during Solomon's reign influences the themes and messages found in Ecclesiastes. 3. The Living and the Dead The verse contrasts the state of the living, who are aware of their mortality, with the dead, who are described as knowing nothing and having no further reward. Teaching Points The Certainty of DeathLife is temporary, and death is a certainty for all. This awareness should lead us to live with purpose and intentionality, focusing on what truly matters. The Limitations of Earthly Pursuits Earthly achievements and rewards are temporary. We should prioritize eternal values and invest in what has lasting significance. The Importance of Legacy While the memory of individuals may fade, the impact of a godly life can endure. We should strive to leave a legacy of faith and righteousness. Living with Eternal Perspective Understanding the finality of death should encourage us to live with an eternal perspective, seeking God's will and aligning our lives with His purposes.Verse 5. - For the living know that they shall die. This is added in confirmation of the statement in ver. 4. The living have at least the consciousness that they will soon have to die, and this leads them to work while it is day, to employ their faculties worthily, to make use of opportunities, to enjoy and profit by the present. They have a certain fixed event to which they must look forward; and they have not to stand idle, lamenting their fate, but their duty and their happiness is to accept the inevitable and make the best of it. But the dead know not anything. They are cut off from the active, bustling world; their work is done; they have nothing to expect, nothing to labor for. What passes upon earth affects them not; the knowledge of it reaches them no longer. Aristotle's idea was that the dead did know something, in a hazy and indistinct way, of what went on in the upper world, and were in some slight degree influenced thereby, but not to such a degree as to change happiness into misery, or vice versa ('Eth. Nicom.,' 1:10 and 11). Neither have they any more a reward; i.e. no fruit for labor done. There is no question here about future retribution in another world. The gloomy view of the writer at this moment precludes all idea of such an adjustment of anomalies after death. For the memory of them is forgotten. They have not even the poor reward of being remembered by loving posterity, which in the mind of an Oriental was an eminent blessing, to be much desired. There is a paronomasia in zeker, "memory," and sakar, "reward," which, as Plumptre suggests, may be approximately represented in English by the words "record" and "reward." Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Forכִּ֧י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction the living הַֽחַיִּ֛ים (ha·ḥay·yîm) Article | Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life know יוֹדְעִ֖ים (yō·wḏ·‘îm) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 3045: To know that they will die, שֶׁיָּמֻ֑תוּ (še·yā·mu·ṯū) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 4191: To die, to kill but the dead וְהַמֵּתִ֞ים (wə·ham·mê·ṯîm) Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 4191: To die, to kill know יוֹדְעִ֣ים (yō·wḏ·‘îm) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 3045: To know nothing. מְא֗וּמָה (mə·’ū·māh) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3972: A speck, point, nothing They have no וְאֵֽין־ (wə·’ên-) Conjunctive waw | Adverb Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle further ע֤וֹד (‘ō·wḏ) Adverb Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more reward, שָׂכָ֔ר (śā·ḵār) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7939: Payment of contract, salary, fare, maintenance, compensation, benefit because כִּ֥י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction the memory זִכְרָֽם׃ (ziḵ·rām) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 2143: A memento, recollection, commemoration of them is forgotten. נִשְׁכַּ֖ח (niš·kaḥ) Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7911: To mislay, to be oblivious of, from want of memory, attention Links Ecclesiastes 9:5 NIVEcclesiastes 9:5 NLT Ecclesiastes 9:5 ESV Ecclesiastes 9:5 NASB Ecclesiastes 9:5 KJV Ecclesiastes 9:5 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 9:5 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 9:5 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 9:5 French Bible Ecclesiastes 9:5 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) |
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