Ecclesiastes 9:15
New International Version
Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.

New Living Translation
A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him.

English Standard Version
But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

Berean Standard Bible
Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

King James Bible
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

New King James Version
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.

New American Standard Bible
But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

NASB 1995
But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

NASB 1977
But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

Legacy Standard Bible
But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he provided a way of escape for the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

Amplified Bible
But there was found in it a poor wise man, and by his wisdom he rescued the city. Yet no man [seriously] remembered that poor man.

Christian Standard Bible
Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

American Standard Version
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And a poor wise man was found in it and that poor man delivered the city by his wisdom, and no person remembered that poor man

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and should find in it a poor wise man, and he should save the city through his wisdom: yet no man would remember that poor man.

Contemporary English Version
But the city was saved by the wisdom of a poor person who was soon forgotten.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he delivered the city by his wisdom, and no man afterward remembered that poor man.

English Revised Version
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A poor, wise person was found in that town. He saved the town using his wisdom. But no one remembered that poor person.

Good News Translation
Someone lived there who was poor, but so clever that he could have saved the town. But no one thought about him.

International Standard Version
Now there was found within it a poor, but wise man. He delivered the city by his wisdom, but not one person remembered that poor man.

JPS Tanakh 1917
now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

Literal Standard Version
and there has been found in it a poor wise man, and he has delivered the city by his wisdom, and men have not remembered that poor man!

Majority Standard Bible
Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

New American Bible
But in the city lived a man who, though poor, was wise, and he delivered it through his wisdom. Yet no one remembered this poor man.

NET Bible
However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom, but no one listened to that poor man.

New Revised Standard Version
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

New Heart English Bible
Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

World English Bible
Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

Young's Literal Translation
and there hath been found in it a poor wise man, and he hath delivered the city by his wisdom, and men have not remembered that poor man!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Wisdom is Better than Strength
14There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it. 15Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”…

Cross References
Genesis 40:23
The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot all about him.

2 Samuel 20:22
Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram's horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

Proverbs 21:22
A wise man scales the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.

Ecclesiastes 2:16
For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!

Ecclesiastes 4:13
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.

Ecclesiastes 8:10
Then too, I saw the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they had done so. This too is futile.


Treasury of Scripture

Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

yet

Genesis 40:23
Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

Esther 6:2,3
And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus…

Jump to Previous
City Delivered Found Kept Memory Nobody Poor Remembered Safe Saved Wisdom Wise
Jump to Next
City Delivered Found Kept Memory Nobody Poor Remembered Safe Saved Wisdom Wise
Ecclesiastes 9
1. like things happen to good and bad
4. there is a necessity of death unto men
7. Comfort is all their portion in this life
11. God's providence rules over all
13. wisdom is better than strength














Verse 15. - Now there was found in it a poor wise man. The verb, regarded as impersonal, may be thus taken. Or we may continue the subject of the preceding verse and consider the king as spoken of: "He came across, met with unexpectedly, a poor man who was wise." So the Septuagint. The word for "poor" in this passage is misken, for which see note on Ecclesiastes 4:13. He by his wisdom delivered the city. When the besieged city had neither soldiers nor arms to defend itself against its mighty enemies, the man of poor estate, hitherto unknown or little regarded, came forward, and by wise counsel relieved his countrymen from their perilous situation. How this was done we are left to conjecture. It may have been by some timely concessions or negotiations; or by the surrender of a chief offender as at Abel-Beth-maachah; or by the assassination of a general, as at Bethulia (Jud. 13:8); or by the clever application of mechanical arts, as at Syracuse, under the direction of Archimedes (Livy, 24:34; Plutarch, 'Marcell.,' 15-18.). Yet no man remembered that same poor man. As soon as the exigence which brought him forward was past, the poor man fell back into his insignificance, and was thought of no more; he gained no personal advantage, by his wisdom; his ungrateful countrymen forgot his very existence. Thus Joseph was treated by the chief butler (Genesis 40:23). Classical readers will think of Coriolanus, Scipio Africanus, Themistocles, Miltiades, who for their services to the state were rewarded with calumny, false accusation, obloquy, and banishment. The author of the Book of Wisdom gives a different and ideal experience. "I," he says, "for the sake of wisdom shall have estimation among the multitude, and honor with the elders, though I be young.... By the means of her I shall obtain immortality, and leave behind me an everlasting memorial" (Wisd. 8:10-13).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now a poor
מִסְכֵּן֙ (mis·kên)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 4542: Indigent

wise
חָכָ֔ם (ḥā·ḵām)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2450: Wise

man
אִ֤ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

was found
וּמָ֣צָא (ū·mā·ṣā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

in [the city],
בָ֗הּ (ḇāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

and he
ה֥וּא (hū)
Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

saved
וּמִלַּט־ (ū·mil·laṭ-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4422: To be smooth, to escape, to release, rescue, to bring forth young, emit sparks

the city
הָעִ֖יר (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

by his wisdom.
בְּחָכְמָת֑וֹ (bə·ḥā·ḵə·mā·ṯōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2451: Wisdom

Yet no
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

one
וְאָדָם֙ (wə·’ā·ḏām)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

remembered
זָכַ֔ר (zā·ḵar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2142: To mark, to remember, to mention, to be male

that
הַהּֽוּא׃‪‬‪‬ (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

poor
הַמִּסְכֵּ֖ן (ham·mis·kên)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 4542: Indigent

man.
הָאִ֥ישׁ (hā·’îš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person


Links
Ecclesiastes 9:15 NIV
Ecclesiastes 9:15 NLT
Ecclesiastes 9:15 ESV
Ecclesiastes 9:15 NASB
Ecclesiastes 9:15 KJV

Ecclesiastes 9:15 BibleApps.com
Ecclesiastes 9:15 Biblia Paralela
Ecclesiastes 9:15 Chinese Bible
Ecclesiastes 9:15 French Bible
Ecclesiastes 9:15 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 9:15 Now a poor wise man was found (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 9:14
Top of Page
Top of Page