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Ecclesiastes 9:16

WisdomStrength and help in weaknessPoverty and the vulnerable

14 There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it.

15 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.

And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

17 The calm words of the wise are heeded over the shouts of a ruler among fools.

18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

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Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”
KJV
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
WEB
Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
ASV
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man`s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
DARBY
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
BLB
And I said, “Better [is] wisdom than might, and the wisdom of the poor one is despised, and his words are not heard.”
ÅB
Da sa jeg: Visdom er bedre enn styrke; men den fattiges visdom er foraktet, og folk hører ikke på det han sier.
OTB
Så jeg sa, “Visdom er bedre enn styrke.” Likevel er den fattige mannens visdom foraktet, og hans ord blir ikke lenger hørt.
B1930
Da sa jeg: Visdom er bedre enn styrke; men den fattiges visdom er foraktet, og folk hører ikke på det han sier.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

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