Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded. New Living Translation So even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long. English Standard Version But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard. Berean Study Bible And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.” King James Bible Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. New King James Version Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard. New American Standard Bible So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are ignored. NASB 1995 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. NASB 1977 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. Amplified Bible But I say that wisdom is better than strength, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heeded. Christian Standard Bible And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.” Holman Christian Standard Bible And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.” American Standard Version Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And I said in my heart: "Wisdom is better than might, and the wisdom of the poor is despised and his statements are not heeded Brenton Septuagint Translation And I said Wisdom is better than power: yet the wisdom of the poor man is set at nought, and his words not listened to. Contemporary English Version So I decided that wisdom is better than strength. Yet if you are poor, no one pays any attention to you, no matter how smart you are. Douay-Rheims Bible And I said that wisdom is better than strength: how then is the wisdom of the poor man slighted, and his words not heard? English Revised Version Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. Good News Translation I have always said that wisdom is better than strength, but no one thinks of the poor as wise or pays any attention to what they say. GOD'S WORD® Translation So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength," even though that poor person's wisdom was despised, and no one listened to what he said. International Standard Version So I concluded, "Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless, the wisdom of the poor is rejected—his words are never heard." JPS Tanakh 1917 Then said I: 'Wisdom is better than strength; nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.' Literal Standard Version And I said, “Better [is] wisdom than might, and the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.” NET Bible So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man's wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice. New Heart English Bible Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. World English Bible Then I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. Young's Literal Translation And I said, 'Better is wisdom than might, and the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.' -- Additional Translations ... Context Wisdom is Better than Strength…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.” 17The calm words of the wise are heeded over the shouts of a ruler among fools.… Cross References Proverbs 8:14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength. Proverbs 21:22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust. Ecclesiastes 7:12 For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner. Ecclesiastes 7:19 Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city. Ecclesiastes 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. Treasury of Scripture Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. wisdom Ecclesiastes 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good. Ecclesiastes 7:19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. Proverbs 21:22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. the poor Proverbs 10:15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. Mark 6:2,3 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? … John 7:47-49 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? …
Verse 16. - Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength. The latter part of the verse is not a correction of the former, but the whole comes under the observation introduced by "I said." The story just related leads to this assertion, which reproduces the gnome of Ecclesiastes 7:19, wherein it is asserted that wisdom effects more than mere physical strength. There is an interpolation in the Old Latin Version of Wisd. 6. I which seems to have been compiled from this passage and Proverbs 16:13, "Melter est sapientia quam vires, et vir prudens quam fortis." Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, etc. In the instance above mentioned the poor man's wisdom was not despised and his words were heard and attended to; but this was an abnormal case, occasioned by the extremity of the peril. Koheleth states the result which usually attends wisdom emanating from a disesteemed source. The experience of Ben-Sire pointed to the same issue (see Ecclus. 13:22, 23). Horace, 'Epist.,' 1:1.57 - "Est animus tibi, sunt mores et lingua fidesque, "In wit, worth, honor, one in vain abounds; Hebrew And Iאָ֔נִי (’ā·nî) Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 589: I said, וְאָמַ֣רְתִּי (wə·’ā·mar·tî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “Wisdom חָכְמָ֖ה (ḥāḵ·māh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 2451: Wisdom is better טוֹבָ֥ה (ṭō·w·ḇāh) Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good than strength, מִגְּבוּרָ֑ה (mig·gə·ḇū·rāh) Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 1369: Force, valor, victory but the wisdom וְחָכְמַ֤ת (wə·ḥā·ḵə·maṯ) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 2451: Wisdom of the poor הַמִּסְכֵּן֙ (ham·mis·kên) Article | Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 4542: Indigent man is despised, בְּזוּיָ֔ה (bə·zū·yāh) Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular Strong's 959: To disesteem and his words וּדְבָרָ֖יו (ū·ḏə·ḇā·rāw) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause are not אֵינָ֥ם (’ê·nām) Adverb | third person masculine plural Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle heeded.” נִשְׁמָעִֽים׃ (niš·mā·‘îm) Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently Jump to Previous Better Despised Heard Hearing Heeded Longer Nevertheless Poor Respected Strength Wisdom WordsJump to Next Better Despised Heard Hearing Heeded Longer Nevertheless Poor Respected Strength Wisdom WordsLinks Ecclesiastes 9:16 NIVEcclesiastes 9:16 NLT Ecclesiastes 9:16 ESV Ecclesiastes 9:16 NASB Ecclesiastes 9:16 KJV Ecclesiastes 9:16 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 9:16 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 9:16 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 9:16 French Bible Ecclesiastes 9:16 Clyx Quotations OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 9:16 Then said I Wisdom is better than (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) |
   
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