Ecclesiastes 3:18
Strong's Lexicon
I
אֲנִי֙ (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew 589: 1) I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)

said
אָמַ֤רְתִּֽי (’ā·mar·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew 559: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

to myself,
בְּלִבִּ֔י (bə·lib·bî)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew 3820: 1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding 1a) inner part, midst 1a1) midst (of things) 1a2) heart (of man) 1a3) soul, heart (of man) 1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory 1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will) 1a6) conscience 1a7) heart (of moral character) 1a8) as seat of appetites 1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage

“As for
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's Hebrew 5921: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative) conj 2) because that, because, notwithstanding, although

דִּבְרַת֙ (diḇ·raṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 1700: 1) cause, manner, reason

the sons
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's Hebrew 1121: 1) son, grandson, child, member of a group 1a) son, male child 1b) grandson 1c) children (pl. - male and female) 1d) youth, young men (pl.) 1e) young (of animals) 1f) sons (as characterisation, i.e. sons of injustice [for un- righteous men] or sons of God [for angels] 1g) people (of a nation) (pl.) 1h) of lifeless things, i.e. sparks, stars, arrows (fig.) 1i) a member of a guild, order, class

of men,
הָאָדָ֔ם (hā·’ā·ḏām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 120: 1) man, mankind 1a) man, human being 1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT) 1c) Adam, first man 1d) city in Jordan valley

God
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 430: 1) (plural) 1a) rulers, judges 1b) divine ones 1c) angels 1d) gods 2) (plural intensive-singular meaning) 2a) god, goddess 2b) godlike one 2c) works or special possessions of God 2d) the (true) God 2e) God

tests them
לְבָרָ֖ם (lə·ḇā·rām)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 1305: 1) to purify, select, polish, choose, purge, cleanse or make bright, test or prove 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to purge, purge out, purify 1a2) to choose, select 1a3) to cleanse, make shining, polish 1a4) to test, prove 1b) (Niphal) to purify oneself 1c) (Piel) to purify 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to purify 1d2) to polish arrows 1e) (Hithpael) 1e1) to purify oneself 1e2) to show oneself pure, just, kind

so that they may see
וְלִרְא֕וֹת (wə·lir·’ō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's Hebrew 7200: 1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c) (Pual) to be seen 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e) (Hophal) 1e1) to be caused to see, be shown 1e2) to be exhibited to 1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

for themselves
שְׁהֶם־ (šə·hem-)
Pronoun - relative | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 1992: 1) they, these, the same, who

that they
הֵ֖מָּה (hêm·māh)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 1992: 1) they, these, the same, who

לָהֶֽם׃ (lā·hem)
Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 1992: 1) they, these, the same, who

are but beasts.”
בְּהֵמָ֥ה (bə·hê·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 929: 1) beast, cattle, animal 1a) beasts (coll of all animals) 1b) cattle, livestock (of domestic animals) 1c) wild beasts

Parallel Strong's
Berean Study Bible
I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.”

Young's Literal Translation
I said in my heart concerning the matter of the sons of man that God might cleanse them, so as to see{.htm" title="{"> that they themselves [are] beasts.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I said to myself , “ This happens concerning people , so that God may test them and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.”

New American Standard Bible
I said to myself concerning the sons of men, "God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts."

King James Bible
I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Parallel Verses
New International Version
I also said to myself, "As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.

New Living Translation
I also thought about the human condition--how God proves to people that they are like animals.

English Standard Version
I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.

New American Standard Bible
I said to myself concerning the sons of men, "God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts."

King James Bible
I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I said to myself, "This happens concerning people, so that God may test them and they may see for themselves that they are like animals."

International Standard Version
"As for human beings," I told myself, "God puts them to the test, that they might see themselves as mere animals."

NET Bible
I also thought to myself, "It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly show them that they are like animals.

American Standard Version
I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.

English Revised Version
I said in mine heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.

Young's Literal Translation
I said in my heart concerning the matter of the sons of man that God might cleanse them, so as to see that they themselves are beasts.
















Cross References
Psalm 49:12
Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 49:20
Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 73:22
So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

Ecclesiastes 1:1
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Ecclesiastes 3:17
I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

Ecclesiastes 3:16
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

Ecclesiastes 3:15
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

Ecclesiastes 3:19
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 3:20
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

Ecclesiastes 3:21
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
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