New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 2:16
16For 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!
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 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 man’s eyes are in his head, But the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived That the same event happens to them all. 15So I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, It also happens to me, And why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.” 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! 17Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind. 18Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 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 things that are to come By those who will come after.
- Exodus 1:6And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation.
- Psalms 88:12Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
- Psalms 103:16For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more.
- Malachi 3:16Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name.
- Ecclesiastes 6:8For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, Who knows how to walk before the living?
- 2 Samuel 3:33And the king sang a lament over Abner and said: “Should Abner die as a fool dies?
- Psalms 49:10For he sees wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, And leave their wealth to others.
- Hebrews 9:27And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries