Ecclesiastes 2:16

Ecclesiastes 2:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
• New International Version (NIV)For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die!
• English Standard Version (ESV)For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool!
• New King James Version (NKJV)For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool!

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:16

14The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself also perceived that one event happeneth to them all. 15And I said in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool so will it happen even to me; and why was I then so wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity. For there shall be no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; because everything is already forgotten in the days which come. And how dieth the wise even as the fool? 17And I hated life; for the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and pursuit of the wind. 18And I hated all my labour wherewith I had been toiling under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

Ecclesiastes 2:16 word by word

כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין זִכְר֧וֹן לֶחָכָ֛ם עִֽם־הַכְּסִ֖יל לְעוֹלָ֑ם בְּשֶׁכְּבָ֞ר הַיָּמִ֤ים הַבָּאִים֙ הַכֹּ֣ל נִשְׁכָּ֔ח וְאֵ֛יךְ יָמ֥וּת הֶחָכָ֖ם עִֽם־הַכְּסִֽיל׃Read the interlinear

• remembranceזִכָּרוֹןzikrôn · memorialH2146
• wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• foolכְּסִילkesîyl · foolH3684
• everעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
• everythingכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• alreadyכְּבָרkebâr · alreadyH3528
• forgottenשָׁכַחshâkach shâkêach · to forgetH7911
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• howאֵיךְ'êyk 'êykâh 'êykâkâh · how?H349

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:16

• Ecclesiastes 1:11There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be remembrance of things that are to come with those who shall live afterwards.
• Exodus 1:6And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
• Psalms 88:12Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
• Psalms 103:16For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof knoweth it no more.
• Malachi 3:16Then they that feared Jehovah spoke often one to another; and Jehovah observed [it], and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name.
• Ecclesiastes 6:8For what advantage hath the wise above the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
• 2 Samuel 3:33And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Should Abner die as a fool dieth?
• Psalms 49:10For he seeth that wise men die; all alike, the fool and the brutish perish, and they leave their wealth to others.
• Hebrews 9:27And forasmuch as it is the portion of men once to die, and after this judgment;

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16There is no remembrance - The wise and the fool are equally subject to death; and, in most instances, they are equally forgotten. Time sweeps away all remembrances, except the very few out of millions which are preserved for a while in the page of history.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 Solomon found that knowledge and prudence were preferable to ignorance and folly, though human wisdom and knowledge will not make a man happy. The most learned of men, who dies a stranger to Christ Jesus, will perish equally with the most ignorant; and what good can commendations on earth do to the body in the grave, or the soul in hell? And the spirits of just men made perfect cannot want them. So that if this were all, we might be led to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?: Since the lives of both are short, the conclusion is that everything is meaningless. both will be forgotten: Future generations will not remember us or our achievements, so our efforts will amount to nothing (compare Ecclesiastes 1:11; 9:13–16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. remembrance--a great aim of the worldly (Ge 11:4). The righteous alone attain it (Psa 112:6; Pr 10:7). for ever--no perpetual memorial. that which now is--Maurer, "In the days to come all things shall be now long ago forgotten."Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:16

• Death
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Wise, Man
• Gather
• Laughter
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings