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!
• 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!
• New Living Translation (NLT)For the wise and the foolish both die. The wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool. In the days to come, both will be forgotten.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:16

14The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them. 15Then I said in my heart, "What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?" And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. 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! 17So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind. 18I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• no remembranceזִכָּרוֹןzikrôn · memorialH2146
• of the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• more thanעִם‛im · withH5973
• of the foolכְּסִילkesîyl · foolH3684
• for everעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
• seeing that which nowכְּבָרkebâr · alreadyH3528
• in the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• to comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• shall all be forgottenשָׁכַחshâkach shâkêach · to forgetH7911
• And how diethמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:16

• Ecclesiastes 1:11There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after.
• Exodus 1:6Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.
• Psalms 88:12Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
• Psalms 103:16for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.
• Malachi 3:16Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.
• Ecclesiastes 6:8For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living?
• 2 Samuel 3:33And the king lamented for Abner, saying, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?
• Psalms 49:10For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.
• Hebrews 9:27And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes 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