Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 verse 12 Holy Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.
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I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.
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I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;
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I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
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I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
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I have known that there is no good for them except to rejoice and to do good during their life,
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Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 12. - I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice; rather, I knew, perceived, that there was no good for them; i.e. for men. From the facts adduced, Koheleth learned this practical result - that man had nothing in his own power (see on Ecclesiastes 2:24) which would conduce to his happiness, but to make the best of life such as he finds it. Vulgate, Cognovi quod non esset melius nisi laetari. To do good in his life; Τοῦ ποιεῖν ἀγαθόν; (Septuagint); Facere bene (Vulgate). This has been taken by many in the sense of "doing one's self good, prospering, enjoying one's self." like the Greek εϋ πράττειν, and therefore nearly equivalent to "rejoice" in the former part of the verse. But the expression is best taken here, as when it occurs elsewhere (e.g. Ecclesiastes 7:20), in a moral sense, and it thus teaches the great truth that virtue is essential to happiness, that to "trust in the Lord... to depart from evil, and to do good" (Psalm 36:3, 27), will bring peace and content (see in the epilogue, Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14). There is no Epicureanism in this verse; the enjoyment spoken of is not licentiousness, but a happy appreciation of the innocent pleasures which the love of God offers to those who live in accordance with the laws of their higher nature.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) I know.--Literally, I knew: i.e., I came to know. The writer is relating the conclusions at which he successively arrived.To do good.--This phrase is always used elsewhere in a moral sense: "to act rightly." When enjoyment is meant, the phrase used is, as in the next verse, "to see good;" but the context seems to require that this sense should be given to the phrase in this verse also.
