New Living Translation
Ecclesiastes 2:16
16For 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.
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
14For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark.” Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate. 15Both will die. So I said to myself, “Since I will end up the same as the fool, what’s the value of all my wisdom? This is all so meaningless!” 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. 17So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind. 18I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned.
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 1:11We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.
- Exodus 1:6In time, Joseph and all of his brothers died, ending that entire generation.
- Psalms 88:12Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?
- Psalms 103:16The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here.
- Malachi 3:16Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.
- Ecclesiastes 6:8So are wise people really better off than fools? Do poor people gain anything by being wise and knowing how to act in front of others?
- 2 Samuel 3:33Then the king sang this funeral song for Abner: “Should Abner have died as fools die?
- Psalms 49:10Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind.
- Hebrews 9:27And just as each person is destined 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
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
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