Ecclesiastes 9:12 — Compare All Translations

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

For even man knoweth not his time; as fish that are taken hold of by an evil net, and as birds that are taken hold of by a snare, like these [are] the sons of man snared at an evil time, when it falleth upon them suddenly.

English ASV

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

English Amplified

For man also knows not his time [of death]: as the fishes are taken in an evil net, and as the birds are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when [calamity] falls suddenly upon them.

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

For man also knows not his time [of death]: as the fishes are taken in an evil net, and as the birds are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when [calamity] falls suddenly upon them.

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

For certainly no one knows his time: like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, so people are trapped in an evil time as it suddenly falls on them.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

English EASY 2024

Nobody knows the time when trouble may come to them. A fish does not know when somebody will catch it in a net. A bird does not know when somebody will catch it in a trap. In the same way, terrible trouble suddenly happens to people when they do not expect it.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

You never know when hard times will come. Like fish in a net or birds in a snare, people are often trapped by some disaster that suddenly falls on them.

For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

You never know when your time is coming. Like birds suddenly caught in a trap, like fish caught in a net, we are trapped at some evil moment when we least expect it.

English God's Word - GW 1995

No one knows when his time will come. Like fish that are caught in a cruel net or birds caught in a snare, humans are trapped by a disaster when it suddenly strikes them.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

For man certainly does not know his time: like fish caught in a cruel net, or like birds caught in a trap, so people are trapped in an evil time, as it suddenly falls on them.

English KJV 1611

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

English LSB

Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish seized in an evil net and birds seized in a trap, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

For no one knows his appointed time. Like fish caught in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so people are ensnared in an evil time, when it suddenly falls on them.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

Man no more knows his own time than fish taken in the fatal net, or birds trapped in the snare; like these the children of men are caught when the evil time falls suddenly upon them.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

Surely, no one knows his appointed time! Like fish that are caught in a deadly net, and like birds that are caught in a snare — just like them, all people are ensnared at an unfortunate time that falls upon them suddenly.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

A man doesn't know when trouble will come to him. Fish are caught in nets. Birds are taken in traps. And people are trapped by hard times that come when they don't expect them.

English NIV

Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.

English NKJ 1982

For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them.

English NLT

People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a snare, people are often caught by sudden tragedy.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

For no one can anticipate the time of disaster. Like fish taken in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, so mortals are snared at a time of calamity, when it suddenly falls upon them.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

For man does not know his time. Like fish which are taken in an evil net, and like birds which are caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

A man never knows when he is going to run into bad luck. He is like a fish caught in a net, or a bird caught in a snare.

English Tyndale 1537

For man knoweth not his time, but like as the fish are taken with the angle and as the birds are catched with the snare: Even so are men taken in the perilous time, when it cometh suddenly upon them.

Ecclesiastes 9:12 — Compare Translations