Ecclesiastes 4:16 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →However vast the crowds who once followed him, later generations will take no delight in him; this too is emptiness.
What Does Ecclesiastes 4:16 Mean?
The Preacher closes the scene and the chapter. The new ruler commands 'no end of all the people,' a following beyond counting, yet 'they also that come after shall not rejoice in him.' The next generation will forget and move on, and he names it once more 'vanity and vexation of spirit.'
Here the chapter's theme comes to rest: even the highest acclaim fades, and tomorrow's crowds will not remember today's hero. Earthly greatness, like the wind, cannot be held. The verse turns the reader away from the hollow pursuit of being followed and praised, toward what endures beyond the changing favor of the masses -- a life whose meaning rests not in passing applause but in the One whose remembrance never fails.
Ecclesiastes 4:16 in the Original Language
hevel (הֶבֶל), 'vanity' -- a breath or vapor, that which is fleeting and cannot be grasped.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 4:16
What does Ecclesiastes 4:16 mean?
However vast the crowds who once followed him, later generations will take no delight in him; this too is emptiness.