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.
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Verse 5 is found in chapter 9 of Ecclesiastes. The common destiny of the righteous and wicked in death leads Qohelet to a realistic description of life under the sun. While a person lives there is hope, but the dead no longer participate in the activities of this world. The passage does not develop a complete doctrine of the afterlife; it focuses on what can be observed from an earthly perspective and uses death to emphasize the urgency of living while opportunity remains.
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Compare Ecclesiastes 9:5 in different Bible versions and see how its wording varies between translations. These differences can help you better understand the meaning and context of the passage.
Denn die Lebendigen wissen, daß sie sterben werden; die Toten aber wissen nichts, sie haben auch keinen Lohn mehr, denn ihr Gedächtnis ist vergessen,
Porque los que viven saben que han de morir: mas los muertos nada saben, ni tienen más paga; porque su memoria es puesta en olvido.
Les vivants, en effet, savent qu'ils mourront; mais les morts ne savent rien, et il n'y a pour eux plus de salaire, puisque leur mémoire est oubliée.
Perciocchè i viventi sanno che morranno; ma i morti non sanno nulla, e non vi è più alcun premio per loro; perciocchè la lor memoria è dimenticata.
Porque os vivos sabem que hão de morrer, mas os mortos não sabem coisa nenhuma, nem tampouco terão eles recompensa, mas a sua memória fica entregue ao esquecimento.
活著的人知道必死;死了的人毫無所知,也不再得賞賜,因為他們的名 已被遺忘。
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