Ecclesiastes 4:16 - New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition 2021

¹⁶ there was no end to all those people whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

¹⁶ There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

¹⁶ There was no end to all the people; he was over all of them. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity (emptiness, falsity, vainglory) and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it.

American Standard Version (1901)

¹⁶ There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Common English Bible

¹⁶ There was no counting the number of people he ruled, but those who came later aren’t happy with him. This too is pointless and a chasing after wind.

Catholic Public Domain Version

¹⁶ The number of people, out of all who existed before these, is boundless. And those who will exist afterwards shall not rejoice in them. But this, too, is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

¹⁶ The number of the people, of all that were before him is infinite: and they that shall come afterwards, shall not rejoice in him: but this also is vanity, and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 4:16 Cross References

2 Samuel 19:9

All the people were disputing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land because of Absalom.

1 Kings 1:40

And all the people went up following him, playing on pipes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth quaked at their noise.

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun, and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:11

Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:17

So I hated life because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

For to the one who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and heaping, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:15

I saw all the living who, moving about under the sun, follow that youth who replaced the king;