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Ecclesiastes 4:16

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.

KJV

Infinitus numerus est populi omnium qui fuerunt ante eum, et qui postea futuri sunt non lætabuntur in eo ; sed et hoc vanitas et afflictio spiritus.

Vulgate

οὐκ ἔστιν περασμὸς τῷ παντὶ λαῷ, τοῖς πᾶσιν οἳ ἐγένοντο ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν· καί γε οἱ ἔσχατοι οὐκ εὐφρανθήσονται ἐπ’ αὐτῷ. ὅτι καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ προαίρεσις πνεύματος.

LXX

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.

ASV

אֵֽין קֵ֣ץ לְ/כָל הָ/עָ֗ם לְ/כֹ֤ל אֲשֶׁר הָיָה֙ לִ/פְנֵי/הֶ֔ם גַּ֥ם הָ/אַחֲרוֹנִ֖ים לֹ֣א יִשְׂמְחוּ ב֑/וֹ כִּֽי גַם זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וְ/רַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ

Hebrew

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In the original Hebrew

16 distinct Hebrew words appear in this verse.

אֲשֶׁר
'shr
particle · 5461×
אֵ֥ין
'yn
noun · 787×
אַחֲרֹנָֽה
'chrnh
adjective · 50×
גַּם
gm
adverb · 764×
הָֽבֶל
hbl
noun · 73×
זֶּֽה
zh
pronoun · 1173×
י
y
noun · 1849×
יְהִי֙
yhy
verb · 3549×
יִשְׂמְחוּ
yshmchv
verb · 153×
כִּֽי
ky
pronoun · 4439×
כָּל
kl
noun · 5376×
לֹ֣א
l'
proper_noun · 5171×
פְנֵ֣י
pny
noun · 2111×
קֵּ֖ץ
qts
noun · 66×
ר֣וּחַ
rvch
noun · 377×
רַעְי֥וֹן
r'yvn
noun · 3×

Historic Christian voices

2 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

Cross-references

  • 1Kgs 1:40 — And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
  • Eccl 1:14 — I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
  • Eccl 2:17 — Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
  • Eccl 5:10 — He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
  • Eccl 6:11 — Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?