Ecclesiastes 4:13-16
New American Standard Bible
13 A (A)poor yet wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive [a]instruction— 14 for he has come (B)out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I have seen all those living under the sun move to the side of the second youth who [b]replaces him. 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them. Even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him; for this too is (C)futility and striving after wind.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 4:13 Or warning
- Ecclesiastes 4:15 Lit stands in his place
Ecclesiastes 4:13-16
New International Version
Advancement Is Meaningless
13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16 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.
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