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Ecclesiastes 9:15

Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953 kjv — Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not hear…

King James Version

16

Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

17

The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18

Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

— Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953, King James Version

Read in Another Translation

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Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • ASV

    “Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good. ”

  • WEB

    “Then I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.”

  • NET

    “So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice. Wisdom versus Fools, Sin, and Folly The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.”

  • DRB

    “And I said that wisdom is better than strength: how then is the wisdom of the poor man slighted, and his words not heard? The words of the wise are heard in silence, more than the cry of a prince among fools. Better is wisdom, than weapons of war: and he that shall offend in one, shall lose many good things. ”

  • BBE

    “Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is not respected, and his words are not given a hearing. The words of the wise which come quietly to the ear are noted more than the cry of a ruler among the foolish. Wisdom is better than instruments of war, but one sinner is the destruction of much good.”

  • KJVA

    “Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good. ”

Ecclesiastes 9 — Context

13

This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

14

There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:

15

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.

16

Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

17

The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18

Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953 say?
Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953 in the King James Version reads: “Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good. ”
Where is Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953 in the Bible?
Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 9, verses 16–1953.
Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes is traditionally attributed to Solomon (traditional; identified as "the Preacher, son of David"). It was written c. 940 BC.
What is the book of Ecclesiastes about?
Ecclesiastes is a candid meditation on life "under the sun" — its pleasures, its pains, and its apparent vanity. The Preacher tries wisdom, wealth, work, and pleasure, finds them all empty without God, and concludes that fearing God and keeping his commandments is the whole of man.
What are the major themes of Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes explores themes including Vanity, Time, Meaning, Fear of God, Mortality. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953.
What translation should I read Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953 in?
Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953?
Ecclesiastes 9:16-1953 reads (KJV): “Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good. ” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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