Psalms 39:6 — Compare Translations

28 translations compared side by side

Surely every man walks to and fro--like a shadow in a pantomime; surely for futility and emptiness he is in turmoil; each one heaps up riches, not knowing who will gather them. [I Cor. 7:31; James 4:14.]

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

Surely every man walks to and fro–like a shadow in a pantomime; surely for futility and emptiness he is in turmoil; each one heaps up riches, not knowing who will gather them. [I Cor. 7:31; James 4:14.]

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

English CSB 2017 - 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.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

Verily, man walketh in a vain show; verily they are disquieted in vain; he heapeth up [riches], and knoweth not who shall gather them.

English EASY 2024

As we live, we are just like shadows. We work to get things for ourselves. We may get a lot of money, but we do not know who will have it after we die.’

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

Our life is like an image in a mirror. We rush through life collecting things, but we don't know who will get them after we die.

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!

English GNT (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.

English God's Word - GW 1995

Each person who walks around is like a shadow. They are busy for no reason. They accumulate riches without knowing who will get them."

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow. Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain, gathering possessions without knowing who will get them.

English KJV 1611

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.

English LSB

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.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

Surely every man walks around like a shadow; surely they make an uproar in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - 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.

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

You have given my days a very short span; my life is as nothing before you. All mortals are but a breath. Selah

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away.”

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

People are only shadows as they go here and there. They rush around, but it doesn't mean anything. They pile up wealth, but they don't know who will get it.

English NIV

Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

English NKJ 1982

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.

English NLT

We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth for someone else to spend.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

Surely everyone goes about like a shadow. Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; they heap up, and do not know who will gather.

English Passion Translation Bible 2020

We live our lives like those living in shadows. All our activities and energies are spent for things that pass away. We gather, we hoard, we cling to our things, only to leave them all behind for who knows who.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

Surely man goes about as a shadow! Surely for naught are they in turmoil; man heaps up, and knows not who will gather!

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

A shadow! And all his busy rushing ends in nothing. He heaps up riches for someone else to spend.

English Tyndale 1537

Yea every man walketh as it were a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and can not tell to whom he gathereth them.