Ecclesiastes 2:16

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

For the wise, like the fool, will not be remembered forever; in the days to come, everything will be forgotten. How does the wise person die? Just like the fool!

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

    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.

  • KJV1611 – Modern English

    For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, since what now is will all be forgotten in the days to come. And how does the wise man die? Just like the fool.

  • King James Version 1611 (Original)

    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.

  • 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!

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    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.

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    For the wyse are euer as litle in remembraunce as the foolish, and all the dayes for to come shalbe forgotten, yee the wyse man dyeth as well as ye foole.

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    For there shalbe no remembrance of the wise, nor of the foole for euer: for that that now is, in the dayes to come shall all be forgotten; howe dyeth the wise man, as doeth the foole?

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    For the wise are euer as litle in remembraunce as the foolishe: for the dayes shall come when all shalbe forgotten: yea the wise man dyeth as well as the foole.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    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.

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    That there is no remembrance to the wise -- with the fool -- to the age, for that which `is' already, `in' the days that are coming is all forgotten, and how dieth the wise? with the fool!

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    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!

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    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!

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!

  • World English Bible (2000)

    For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    For the wise man, like the fool, will not be remembered for very long, because in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. Alas, the wise man dies– just like the fool!

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 1:11 : 11 No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.
  • Eccl 9:5 : 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their memory is forgotten.
  • Ps 88:12 : 12 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
  • Ps 103:16 : 16 The wind blows over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
  • Eccl 2:14 : 14 The wise have eyes in their heads, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate overtakes them both.
  • Eccl 6:8 : 8 What advantage has the wise person over the fool? What does the poor person gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before the living?
  • Exod 1:6 : 6 Then Joseph, all his brothers, and that entire generation died.
  • Exod 1:8 : 8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, arose to power in Egypt.
  • 2 Sam 3:33 : 33 The king sang a lament for Abner, saying: 'Should Abner die as a fool dies?
  • Ps 49:10 : 10 that he should live on forever and not see the pit of decay.
  • Mal 3:16 : 16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord paid attention and listened. A book of remembrance was written before him for those who fear the Lord and honor his name.
  • Heb 9:27 : 27 And just as it is appointed for humans to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 2:11-15
    5 verses
    84%

    11Yet when I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, behold, everything was meaningless—a chasing after the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.

    12So I turned my attention to consider wisdom, madness, and folly. For what can anyone do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done.

    13I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness.

    14The wise have eyes in their heads, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate overtakes them both.

    15Then I said in my heart, 'What happens to the fool will also happen to me. So why have I been so very wise?' And I concluded in my heart, 'This too is meaningless.'

  • Eccl 2:17-22
    6 verses
    81%

    17So I hated life, because the work done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

    18I hated all my toil under the sun because I must leave it to the one who comes after me.

    19And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will rule over all the fruit of my labor that I have worked for under the sun. This too is meaningless.

    20So I turned my heart to despair over all the hard work with which I had labored under the sun.

    21For there is a person who labors with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, but then must leave everything to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.

    22What does a person gain from all their labor and from the striving of their heart under the sun?

  • Eccl 6:8
    81%

    8What advantage has the wise person over the fool? What does the poor person gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before the living?

  • Ps 49:10
    81%

    10that he should live on forever and not see the pit of decay.

  • Eccl 1:11
    79%

    11No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.

  • Eccl 4:16
    78%

    16There is no end to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

  • Eccl 9:5
    77%

    5For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their memory is forgotten.

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    76%

    16When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to observe the work that is done on earth, even though people do not see sleep with their eyes day or night,

    17then I saw all the work of God, that no one can understand the work that is done under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can comprehend it. Even if the wise claim to know, they cannot truly understand it.

  • Eccl 10:14
    76%

    14A fool multiplies words; no one knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    76%

    11The more words, the more meaningless—and what advantage does that bring to anyone?

    12For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few days of their fleeting life? They pass like a shadow. Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

  • Eccl 3:19-20
    2 verses
    75%

    19For the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over animals, for everything is meaningless.

    20All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.

  • Eccl 8:10
    75%

    10Then I saw the wicked buried, who used to go in and out of the holy place, but now they are forgotten in the city where they acted this way. This too is meaningless.

  • Eccl 12:8
    75%

    8'Utter futility,' says the Teacher. 'Everything is futile!'

  • Eccl 1:17-18
    2 verses
    74%

    17Then I set my heart to understand wisdom, as well as madness and folly, but I learned that this too is a chasing after the wind.

    18For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

  • Eccl 7:4
    74%

    4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

  • Eccl 9:15-16
    2 verses
    74%

    15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

    16So I said, 'Wisdom is better than strength.' But the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.

  • Eccl 1:2-3
    2 verses
    74%

    2“Utterly meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

    3What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?

  • Eccl 7:15
    74%

    15In my fleeting life, I have seen it all: The righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness.

  • Eccl 11:8
    73%

    8For if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in all of them, but let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is meaningless.

  • Eccl 6:6
    73%

    6Even if someone lives a thousand years twice over but does not enjoy their prosperity, do not all go to the same place?

  • Eccl 4:2-3
    2 verses
    73%

    2And I praised the dead who had already died, more than the living who are still alive.

    3But better than both is the one who has not yet been born, who has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

  • Eccl 9:3
    73%

    3This is the distressing thing about everything that happens under the sun: the same fate befalls all. Moreover, the hearts of humans are full of evil, and madness resides in their hearts during their lives; and after that, they join the dead.

  • Prov 17:16
    73%

    16Why should a fool pay for wisdom when he has no intention of understanding it?

  • Eccl 9:1
    73%

    1So I reflected on all this and set my heart to examine it: that the righteous, the wise, and their deeds are in the hand of God. People do not know whether love or hatred awaits them; everything lies before them.

  • Eccl 8:7
    73%

    7Since no one knows what will happen, who can tell anyone what is to come?

  • Eccl 10:3
    72%

    3Even while walking along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how foolish he is.

  • Eccl 7:6
    72%

    6For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of fools—this too is meaningless.

  • Eccl 2:2
    72%

    2I said of laughter, 'It is madness,' and of joy, 'What does it accomplish?'

  • Eccl 9:13
    72%

    13I also saw this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.

  • Eccl 7:10
    72%

    10Do not say, 'Why were the old days better than these?' For it is not wise to ask such questions.

  • 1 Cor 3:20
    72%

    20And again, 'The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.'

  • Eccl 5:16
    72%

    16Throughout his days, he eats in darkness, with great frustration, sickness, and anger.

  • Eccl 3:22
    72%

    22So I saw that there is nothing better than for a person to rejoice in their work, for that is their lot. Who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

  • Prov 26:12
    71%

    12Do you see a person who is wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.