This verse introduces us to the reason and basis for Qoheleth’s claim that people and animals do not differ. For marks the reason which now follows.

The fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same: in 2.16 a similar idea is expressed. On fate see comments in 2.14. Every individual’s fate is the same as that of the beasts, namely, death. Note that in Hebrew the sense of same is rendered by the number “one”: “the fate of human beings and the fate of animals is one fate.” This same expression will be picked up later in the verse, “their life-spirit is one,” and in the following verse as well, “going to one place.” This repetition of words and the balanced rhythm here point to the seriousness of these remarks. The emphasis on fate may be preserved by repeating the term. Alternatively we can combine the references to fate as “The fate of people and animals is the same” or “One fate awaits both human beings and animals.”

As one dies, so dies the other: the words are different from the previous clause about fate, but the thought is the same. It is possible that Revised Standard Version can be misunderstood to mean that people and animals always die in the same manner. Qoheleth is not discussing how they die, only the fact that they all do die. We can avoid Revised Standard Version‘s potential problem by saying “both must die” or simply “both die.” Some languages will express the sense of “both” with demonstratives, “this one dies and that one dies.” “Human beings and animals all come to the same end; all must die” is an acceptable translation. If possible, however, the translator can try to maintain the rhythm expressed in this clause, as Revised Standard Version has succeeded in doing.

They all have the same breath: the term breath may also be rendered “spirit.” The thought in this verse almost certainly has its background in the creation stories of Genesis. In Gen 1.30 all creatures are said to have the “breath of life.” This is not intended to be a technical or medical explanation but is Israel’s understanding that both human beings and animals are living beings. Breathing is one aspect of being alive, but the word “breath” has a more profound sense, namely, “spirit.” This is the clear intention of the word when used in verse 21. It is important to use a term that means the life-essence or life-force and, if possible, to use the same term both here and in verse 21. Some languages may have a very graphic word for this, such as “nose,” while in others the term may be more abstract, “life.” For translation we recommend “we all share the same life-spirit” or “human beings and animals all have a common spirit.”

And man has no advantage over the beasts: of course this is a statement that needs to be interpreted within this context. At the level of our shared “spirit” there can be no distinction between people and animals, and if this is something we share, then it follows that the human life-force or spirit is not a higher or better one than found in the animals. Thus Qoheleth is correct when he says that at this particular level there is no advantage in being human. Here we find Qoheleth using a new word (mothar) for “advantage.” Although it is derived from the same Hebrew root (ythr) as our basic term yithron “lasting benefit,” here the fact that we have a new form of the root suggests that it means something slightly different. From the context we conclude that it has the narrower meaning of the possible advantage of human beings over animals.

To link the two previous clauses, a conjunction or transition clause may be inserted: “We all share the same life-spirit, so in this sense, human beings are not superior to animals,” or “All human beings and animals possess a similar spirit; therefore, human beings don’t have any advantage over animals.”

Another means of showing the link between the two clauses is to use a phrase like “so as to…” or “therefore….” This latter form is actually closer to Hebrew structure than the models mentioned above:
They both share the same spirit of life.
So as to the advantage of human beings over animals,
there is none.

For all is vanity is treated in Revised Standard Version and most other translations as a clause that explains what has just been said. This is because of their understanding of the initial particle ki. Logically speaking, however, it is incorrect to say that human beings have no advantage “because” all is vanity. Rather the reverse is true. All is hevel precisely because there is no such distinction. Obviously the statement that “all is hevel” is a concluding comment, and in view of our understanding of the meaning and function of the term, the recommended approach is to take the initial particle heb ki as the emphatic “indeed” or “truly,” rather than as “for” or “because.” This then gives a possible translation “Indeed, this is quite a mystery,” “Truly all this is an enigma,” or “Really, all this is very hard to understand.”

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Ecclesiates. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .