Verse Comparison: Ecclesiastes 4:16
American Standard Version
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.
Amplified® Bible
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.
Contemporary English Version
His followers could not even be counted. But years from now, no one will praise him--this makes no more sense than chasing the wind.
Darby English Version
[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.
Good News Bible
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.
King James Version
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.
New American Standard Bible
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.
New International Version
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.
New King James Version
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.
N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
There seems no end to all the people, to all who existed before them, and even the ones who will come later will not have happiness with him, for this too seems vanity and striving after wind.
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
Young's Literal Translation
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.
