Ecclesiastes 4:16
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.

New Revised Standard Version
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.

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.

New American Bible
There is no end to all this people, to all who were before them; yet the later generations will not have joy in him. This also is vanity and a chase after wind.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The number of the people, of all that were before him is infinite: and they that shall come afterwards, shall not rejoice in him: but this also is vanity, and vexation of spirit.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

The number of the people, of all that were before him is infinite: and they that shall come afterwards, shall not rejoice in him: but this also is vanity, and vexation of spirit.

no end

2 Samuel 15:12,13 Absalom also sent for Achitophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city Gilo. And while he was offering sacrifices, there was a strong conspiracy, and the people running together increased with Absalom. . . .

1 Kings 1:5-7,40 And Adonias, the son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying: I will be king. And he made himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. . . .

1 Kings 12:10-16 And the young men that had been brought up with him, said: Thus shalt thou speak to this people, who have spoken to thee, saying: Thy father made our yoke heavy, do thou ease us. Thou shalt say to them: My little finger is thicker than the back of my father. . . .

they also

Judges 9:19,20 If therefore you have dealt well, and without fault, with Jerobaal and his house, rejoice ye, this day, in Abimelech, and may he rejoice in you. . . .

2 Samuel 18:7,8 And the people of Israel were defeated there by David's army, and a great slaughter was made that day of twenty thousand men. . . .

2 Samuel 19:9 And all the people were at strife in all the tribes of Israel, saying: The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines: and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.

this

Ecclesiastes 1:14 I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 2:11,17,26 And when I turned myself to all the works which my hands had wrought, and to the labours wherein I had laboured in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that nothing was lasting under the sun. . . .

Context
The Futility of Power
15I saw all men living, that walk under the sun with the second young man, who shall rise up in his place. 16The number of the people, of all that were before him is infinite: and they that shall come afterwards, shall not rejoice in him: but this also is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
Cross References
Ecclesiastes 1:14
I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 4:15
I saw all men living, that walk under the sun with the second young man, who shall rise up in his place.

Ecclesiastes 4:15
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