Psalm 39:6
Modern Translations
New International Version
"Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.

New Living Translation
We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.

English Standard Version
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!

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

New American Standard Bible
“Certainly every person walks around as a fleeting shadow; They certainly make an uproar for nothing; He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.

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.

NASB 1977
“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.

Amplified Bible
“Surely every man walks around like a shadow [in a charade]; Surely they make an uproar for nothing; Each one builds up riches, not knowing who will receive them.

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.

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

Contemporary English Version
and it disappears like a shadow. Our struggles are senseless; we store up more and more, without ever knowing who will get it all.

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.

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

International Standard Version
In fact, people walk around as shadows. Surely, they busy themselves for nothing, heaping up possessions but not knowing who will get them.

NET Bible
Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away."
Classic Translations
King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

King James 2000 Bible
Surely every man walks in a vain show: surely they are in turmoil in vain: he heaps up riches, and knows not who shall gather them.

New Heart English Bible
"Surely a person goes about like a shadow. Surely he heaps up vain things of wealth, and doesn't know who shall gather them.

World English Bible
"Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn't know who shall gather.

American King James Version
Surely every man walks in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heaps up riches, and knows not who shall gather them.

American Standard Version
Surely every man walketh in a vain show; Surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up riches , and knoweth not who shall gather them.

A Faithful Version
Surely every man walks about in a vain show! Surely they are in an uproar in vain. He heaps up riches and does not know who shall gather them.

Darby Bible Translation
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 Revised Version
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
Doubtlesse man walketh in a shadowe, and disquieteth himselfe in vaine: he heapeth vp riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.

Bishops' Bible of 1568
Truely man walketh in a vayne shadowe, truely he and all his do disquiet them selues in vayne: he heapeth vp riches, & can not tel who shal vse them.

Coverdale Bible of 1535
Sela. Yee euery man walketh as it were a shadowe, and disquieteth him self in vayne: he heapeth vp riches, and can not tell to whom he gathereth them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Only, each habitually walks in an image, "" Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, "" He heaps up and does not know who gathers them.

Young's Literal Translation
Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, in vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.

Smith's Literal Translation
Surely in a shadow a man will go about: surely they will be disquieted in vain: he will store up, and he knew not who shall gather them.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Surely man passeth as an image : yea, and he is disquieted in vain. He storeth up : and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things.

Catholic Public Domain Version
So then, truly man passes by like an image; even so, he is disquieted in vain. He stores up, and he knows not for whom he will gather these things.

Translations from Aramaic
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because a man walks in an image and he fades away like a vapor; he lays down treasures and does not know for whom he gathered them.

Lamsa Bible
Because every man walks as an image, he disappears as a breath; he buries treasures and knows not who shall gather them.

OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Surely man walketh as a mere semblance; Surely for vanity they are in turmoil; He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Surely man walks in a shadow; nay, he is disquieted in vain: he lays up treasures, and knows not for whom he shall gather them.
















Psalm 39:5
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