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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13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings.(A) 14 For he came from prison to be king,(B) even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow[a] a second youth who succeeds him. 16 There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Lit with