13 This too I saw as wisdom under the sun, and [a]it impressed me: 14 there (A)was a small city with few men in it, and a great king came to it, surrounded it, and constructed large siegeworks against it. 15 But there was found in it a (B)poor wise man, and he [b]saved the city (C)by his wisdom. Yet (D)no one remembered that poor man. 16 So I said, “(E)Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are [c]ignored. 17 The (F)words of the wise heard in calm are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18 (G)Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but (H)one sinner destroys much good.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 9:13 Lit it was great to me
  2. Ecclesiastes 9:15 Or might have saved
  3. Ecclesiastes 9:16 Lit not listened to

Wisdom Better Than Folly

13 I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom(A) that greatly impressed me: 14 There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. 15 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.(B) 16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.(C)

17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
    than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
18 Wisdom(D) is better than weapons of war,
    but one sinner destroys much good.

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