Ecclesiastes 2:16

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין זִכְר֧וֹן לֶחָכָ֛ם עִֽם־הַכְּסִ֖יל לְעוֹלָ֑ם בְּשֶׁכְּבָ֞ר הַיָּמִ֤ים הַבָּאִים֙ הַכֹּ֣ל נִשְׁכָּ֔ח וְאֵ֛יךְ יָמ֥וּת הֶחָכָ֖ם עִֽם־הַכְּסִֽיל׃

Transliteration

Because not zikrôn to ḥākām with-the-kĕsîl to ʿôlām; in that already the-yāmîm the-bāʾîm the-all nishkāḥ and how yāmût the-ḥākām with-the-kĕsîl.

Grammar Details

• *zikrôn*: masculine singular noun - remembrance/memory
• *ḥākām*: masculine singular adjective with definite article - the wise person
• *kĕsîl*: masculine singular adjective with definite article and prefixed preposition - with the fool
• *ʿôlām*: masculine singular noun with prefixed preposition - forever
• *yāmîm*: masculine plural noun with definite article - the days
• *bāʾîm*: Qal participle, masculine plural with definite article - the coming ones
• *nishkāḥ*: Niphal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - is forgotten
• *yāmût*: imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - will die

Word Meanings

• *zikrôn*: remembrance/memory/memorial
• *ʿôlām*: forever/eternity/long duration
• *bĕshekĕbār*: because already/since already
• *hayyāmîm habbāʾîm*: the days to come/the coming days/future days
• *hakkōl nishkāḥ*: everything is forgotten/all is forgotten
• *yāmût heḥākām ʿim-hakkĕsîl*: the wise person dies with/like the fool

Referenced Verses

• Eccl 1:11 : 11 There is no remembrance of the former [generations]; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter [generations] that are to come, among those that shall come after.
• Eccl 9:5 : 5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
• Ps 88:12 : 12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? And thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
• Ps 103:16 : 16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; And the place thereof shall know it no more.
• Eccl 2:14 : 14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
• Eccl 6:8 : 8 For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? [or] what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?
• Exod 1:6 : 6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
• Exod 1:8 : 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
• 2 Sam 3:33 : 33 And the king lamented for Abner, and said, Should Abner die as a fool dieth?
• Ps 49:10 : 10 For he shall see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike perish, And leave their wealth to others.
• Mal 3:16 : 16 Then they that feared Jehovah spake one with another; and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name.
• Heb 9:27 : 27 And {G2596} inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this [cometh] judgment;