Ecclesiastes 4:16 — Compare All Translations

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

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.

English ASV

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.

English Amplified

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.

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

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.

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

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.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

[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.

English EASY 2024

Large crowds of people give him honour as their king. But in future years, nobody will praise him. I realized that this has no purpose. It is like somebody who tries to catch the wind.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

Many people will follow this young man. But later, those same people will not like him. This is also senseless. It is like trying to catch the wind.

There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

There may be no limit to the number of people a king rules; when he is gone, no one will be grateful for what he has done. It is useless. It is like chasing the wind.

English God's Word - GW 1995

There was no end to all those people, everyone whom he led. But those who will come later will not be happy with the successor. Even this is pointless. {It's like} trying to catch the wind.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

English KJV 1611

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.

English LSB

There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be glad with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

There was no limit to all the people, to all who were before him. But all those who were to come later would not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

There is no end to all these people, to all over whom he takes precedence; yet the later generations will not applaud him. This also is vanity and a chase after wind.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

There is no end to all the people nor to the past generations, yet future generations will not rejoice in him. This also is profitless and like chasing the wind.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

At first, all of the people served him when he became king. But those who came later weren't pleased with the way he was ruling. That doesn't have any meaning either. It's like chasing the wind.

English NIV

There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

English NKJ 1982

There was no end of all the people over whom he was made king; Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

English NLT

He might become the leader of millions and be very popular. But then the next generation grows up and rejects him! So again, it is all meaningless, like chasing the wind.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

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.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

there was no end of all the people; he was over all of them. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

He can become the leader of millions of people and be very popular. But, then, the younger generation grows up around him and rejects him! So again, it is all foolishness, chasing the wind.

English Tyndale 1537

As for the people that have been before him, and that come after him, they are innumerable: yet is not their joy the greater thorow him. This is also a vain thing and a vexation of mind.

Ecclesiastes 4:16 — Compare Translations