¹²For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, ^†all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as ^ua shadow? for ^xwho can tell a man ^ywhat shall be after him under the sun?

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Footnotes

†Heb. the number of the days of the life of his vanity. See ch. 2:3.
uSee Job 14:2.
xSee ch. 8:7.
ySee ch. 3:22.

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In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?

NIVNew International Version (2011)

For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For who knows what is good for anyone in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow? Who can tell anyone what will happen after him under the sun?

NLTNew Living Translation

In the few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? Our lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will happen on this earth after we are gone?

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For who knows what is good for a man in his life during the few days of his fleeting life, which are fleeting as a shadow? For who can tell anyone what will happen in the future under the sun?