Ecclesiastes 4:16 “There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the succ…”

Ecclesiastes 4:16

There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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.

World English Bible

There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

American Standard Version

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.

Geneva Bible 1599

There is none ende of all the people, nor of all that were before them, and they that come after, shall not reioyce in him: surely this is also vanitie and vexation of spirit.

Darby Translation

[There is] no end of all the people, of all that stood before them; those however that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after the wind.

Young's Literal Translation

there is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also, the latter rejoice not in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Bible in Basic English

There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

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Cross references

“no end”

1 Kings 1:40 1 Kings 1:5–7 1 Kings 12:10–16 2 Samuel 15:12 2 Samuel 15:13

1 Kings 1:40 · BSB

All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth was split by the sound.

1 Kings 1:5–7 · BSB

At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.

1 Kings 12:10–16 · BSB

The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little…

2 Samuel 15:12 · BSB

While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.

2 Samuel 15:13 · BSB

Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

“they also”

2 Samuel 19:9 Judges 9:19 Judges 9:20 2 Samuel 18:7 2 Samuel 18:8

2 Samuel 19:9 · BSB

And all the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing, “The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled the land because of Absalom.

Judges 9:19 · BSB

if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.

Judges 9:20 · BSB

But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”

2 Samuel 18:7 · BSB

There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.

2 Samuel 18:8 · BSB

The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.

“this”

Ecclesiastes 1:14 Ecclesiastes 2:17 Ecclesiastes 2:11 Ecclesiastes 2:26

Ecclesiastes 1:14 · BSB

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:17 · BSB

So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:11 · BSB

Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:26 · BSB

To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile…

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.

Read Ecclesiastes 4