Ecclesiastes 4:13
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
14 For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
- KJV
- Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
- WEB
- Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.
- ASV
- Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.
- DARBY
- Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished.
- BLB
- Better a youth poor and wise than a king old and foolish, who does not know to be warned anymore.
- ÅB
- Bedre å være en fattig og vis ungdom enn en gammel dåre av en konge, som ikke mere har forstand nok til å la seg advare;
- OTB
- Bedre er en fattig men klok ungdom enn en gammel og tåpelig konge som ikke lenger vet hvordan man tar imot råd.
- B1930
- Bedre å være en fattig og vis ungdom enn en gammel dåre av en konge, som ikke mere har forstand nok til å la sig advare;
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 19:1
Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a fool whose lips are perverse.
Read in context2 Chronicles 25:16
While he was still speaking, the king asked, “Have we made you the counselor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”
Read in context2 Chronicles 16:9–10
For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”
Read in contextProverbs 28:15–16
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
Read in context1 Kings 22:8
The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
Read in contextProverbs 28:6
Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a rich man whose ways are perverse.
Read in contextGenesis 37:2
This is the account of Jacob. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was tending the flock with his brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 9:15–16
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.
Read in context