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, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. 15Then I said to myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said to myself, “This too is vanity.” For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die! 17So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind. 18Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for 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

• For thereאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• lastingעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
• remembranceזִכָּרוֹןzikrôn · memorialH2146
• of the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• with the foolכְּסִילkesîyl · foolH3684
• inasmuchשֶׁלshel · whichH7945
• the comingבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• will be forgottenשָׁכַחshâkach shâkêach · to forgetH7911
• howאֵיךְ'êyk 'êykâh 'êykâkâh · how?H349
• alikeעִם‛im · withH5973
• dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:16

• Ecclesiastes 1:11There is no remembrance of earlier things; And also of the later things which will occur, There will be for them no remembrance Among those who will come later still.
• Exodus 1:6Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.
• Psalms 88:12Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
• Psalms 103:16When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer.
• Malachi 3:16Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name.
• Ecclesiastes 6:8For what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living?
• 2 Samuel 3:33The king chanted a lament for Abner and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies?
• Psalms 49:10For he sees that even wise men die; The stupid and the senseless alike perish And leave their wealth to others.
• Hebrews 9:27And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this 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