Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. New Living Translation We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. English Standard Version Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! Berean Standard Bible Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away. King James Bible Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. New King James Version Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them. New American Standard Bible “Certainly every person walks around as a fleeting shadow; They certainly make an uproar for nothing; He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them. NASB 1995 “Surely every man walks about as a phantom; Surely they make an uproar for nothing; He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them. NASB 1977 “Surely every man walks about as a phantom; Surely they make an uproar for nothing; He amasses riches, and does not know who will gather them. Legacy Standard Bible Surely every man walks about as a shadow; Surely they make an uproar in vain; He piles up riches and does not know who will gather them. Amplified Bible “Surely every man walks around like a shadow [in a charade]; Surely they make an uproar for nothing; Each one builds up riches, not knowing who will receive them. Christian Standard Bible Yes, a person goes about like a mere shadow. Indeed, they rush around in vain, gathering possessions without knowing who will get them. Holman Christian Standard Bible Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow. Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain, gathering possessions without knowing who will get them. American Standard Version Surely every man walketh in a vain show; Surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. Contemporary English Version and it disappears like a shadow. Our struggles are senseless; we store up more and more, without ever knowing who will get it all. English Revised Version Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. GOD'S WORD® Translation Each person who walks around is like a shadow. They are busy for no reason. They accumulate riches without knowing who will get them." Good News Translation no more than a shadow. All we do is for nothing; we gather wealth, but don't know who will get it. International Standard Version In fact, people walk around as shadows. Surely, they busy themselves for nothing, heaping up possessions but not knowing who will get them. Majority Standard Bible Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away. NET Bible Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away." New Heart English Bible "Surely a person goes about like a shadow. Surely he heaps up vain things of wealth, and doesn't know who shall gather them. Webster's Bible Translation Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. World English Bible “Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionOnly, each habitually walks in an image, "" Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, "" He heaps up and does not know who gathers them. Young's Literal Translation Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, in vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them. Smith's Literal Translation Surely in a shadow a man will go about: surely they will be disquieted in vain: he will store up, and he knew not who shall gather them. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleSurely man passeth as an image : yea, and he is disquieted in vain. He storeth up : and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible Man goes about as a mere phantom; they hurry about, although in vain; he heaps up stores without knowing for whom. New Revised Standard Version Surely everyone goes about like a shadow. Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; they heap up, and do not know who will gather. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBecause every man walks as an image, he disappears as a breath; he buries treasures and knows not who shall gather them. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Because a man walks in an image and he fades away like a vapor; he lays down treasures and does not know for whom he gathered them. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Surely man walketh as a mere semblance; Surely for vanity they are in turmoil; He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. Brenton Septuagint Translation Surely man walks in a shadow; nay, he is disquieted in vain: he lays up treasures, and knows not for whom he shall gather them. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context I Will Watch My Ways…5You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah 6Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away. 7And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.… Cross References James 4:14 You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!” Ecclesiastes 6:12 For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun? 1 Peter 1:24 For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, Job 7:7 Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness. Ecclesiastes 2:11 Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun. 1 Corinthians 7:31 and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away. Job 14:1-2 “Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble. / Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure. Ecclesiastes 3:19-20 For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile. / All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust. Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:20-21 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’ / This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.” Psalm 90:5-6 You sweep them away in their sleep; they are like the new grass of the morning— / in the morning it springs up new, but by evening it fades and withers. Isaiah 40:6-7 A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field. / The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass. Proverbs 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. 1 John 2:17 The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever. Treasury of Scripture Surely every man walks in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heaps up riches, and knows not who shall gather them. a vain whew. 1 Corinthians 7:31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. surely Ecclesiastes 1:14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. Ecclesiastes 2:17,18,20,21 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit… Ecclesiastes 4:7,8 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun… he heapeth Psalm 49:10,11 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others… Job 27:16,17 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; … Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. Jump to Previous Amasses Busy Disquieted Fro Gather Gathereth Great Habitually Heapeth Heaps Image Makes Mere Nought Purpose Riches Semblance Shadow Shew Show Store Surely Themselves Troubled Turmoil Uproar Vain Vanity Verily Walk Walketh Walks Way WealthJump to Next Amasses Busy Disquieted Fro Gather Gathereth Great Habitually Heapeth Heaps Image Makes Mere Nought Purpose Riches Semblance Shadow Shew Show Store Surely Themselves Troubled Turmoil Uproar Vain Vanity Verily Walk Walketh Walks Way WealthPsalm 39 1. David's care of his thoughts4. The consideration of the brevity and vanity of life 7. the reverence of God's judgments 10. and prayer, are his bridles of impatience Surely every man walks in futility The Hebrew word for "futility" here is "hebel," which can also be translated as "vanity" or "breath." This word is often used in the book of Ecclesiastes to describe the fleeting and insubstantial nature of human endeavors. The imagery suggests that human life, in its temporal and earthly pursuits, lacks lasting substance. From a conservative Christian perspective, this highlights the need for a life grounded in eternal values and divine purpose, rather than transient worldly achievements. like a phantom he bustles about he heaps up wealth not knowing who will spend it The above rendering treats the preposition as the beth essentiae. If, however, we keep the Authorised Version, the thought is of man's life, not as a reality, but as a show, a picture, a phantasma (see margin), and himself only an imaginary actor. But this seems modern for the psalms. Shakespeare, no doubt with this passage in his mind, has combined it with the more obvious image:-- "Out, out, brief candle, Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more." Surely they . . . --Better, Only for a breath they make a stir. He heapeth up.--The substantive is left by the Hebrew to be supplied. So we talk of the desire of "accumulating." (For the whole passage, comp. James 4:13-14; Luke 12:16-21.) . . . Verse 6. - Surely every man walketh in a vain show; literally, in an image, or "as an image;" i.e. with a mere semblance of life, but without the reality. Surely they are disquieted in vain. Their restless strivings are to no end, have no result. He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them (comp. Job 27:16, 17; Ecclesiastes 2:18, 21).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Surelyאַךְ־ (’aḵ-) Adverb Strong's 389: A particle of affirmation, surely every man אִ֗ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person goes about יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־ (yiṯ·hal·leḵ-) Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk like a phantom; בְּצֶ֤לֶם ׀ (bə·ṣe·lem) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6754: A phantom, illusion, resemblance, a representative figure, an idol surely אַךְ־ (’aḵ-) Adverb Strong's 389: A particle of affirmation, surely he bustles יֶהֱמָי֑וּן (ye·hĕ·mā·yūn) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun Strong's 1993: To make a, loud sound, commotion, tumult, to rage, war, moan, clamor in vain; הֶ֥בֶל (he·ḇel) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory he heaps up [riches] יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר (yiṣ·bōr) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 6651: To aggregate not וְֽלֹא־ (wə·lō-) Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no knowing יֵדַ֥ע (yê·ḏa‘) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3045: To know who מִי־ (mî-) Interrogative Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix will haul them away. אֹסְפָֽם׃ (’ō·sə·p̄ām) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 622: To gather for, any purpose, to receive, take away, remove Links Psalm 39:6 NIVPsalm 39:6 NLT Psalm 39:6 ESV Psalm 39:6 NASB Psalm 39:6 KJV Psalm 39:6 BibleApps.com Psalm 39:6 Biblia Paralela Psalm 39:6 Chinese Bible Psalm 39:6 French Bible Psalm 39:6 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Psalm 39:6 Surely every man walks like a shadow (Psalm Ps Psa.) |
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