Ecclesiastes 9:9-18 ▼

9 See life with a wife whom you have loved, all the days of the life of your vapor, which He has given to you under the sun—all your days of vapor—for that is your portion in this life, and in the toil by which you toil under the sun.

10 All that your hand finds to do, with your strength you must do it, for there is no work or plan or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, there where you are going.

11 I returned and saw under the sun how the race is not to the swift, and the battle not to the strong, and bread not to the wise, and wealth not to the discerning, and favor not to the skillful. For time and chance will happen to them all.

12 For even the man does not know his time; like the fish taken in a cruel net, and like the birds that are grabbed by the snare, so for them: The sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls upon them suddenly.

13 This also I have seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:

14 A city was small, and few men in it; and a great king came against it, and he besieged it and built great siege ramps against it.

15 And there was found in it a poor wise man, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. And mankind has not remembered that poor man.

16 And I said, “Better is wisdom than might, and the wisdom of the poor one is despised, and his words are not heard.”

17 The words of the wise are heeded in quiet over the shout of a ruler among fools.

18 Better wisdom than weapons of war, and one sinner can destroy much good.