American Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 9:16
16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
Ecclesiastes 9:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
- New International Version (NIV)So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard.
Context of Ecclesiastes 9:16
14There 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. 15Now 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. Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. 17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 9Ecclesiastes 9:16 word by word
וְאָמַ֣רְתִּי אָ֔נִי טוֹבָ֥ה חָכְמָ֖ה מִגְּבוּרָ֑ה וְחָכְמַ֤ת הַמִּסְכֵּן֙ בְּזוּיָ֔ה וּדְבָרָ֖יו אֵינָ֥ם נִשְׁמָעִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:16
- Ecclesiastes 9:18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.
- Ecclesiastes 7:19Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
- Proverbs 21:22A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, And bringeth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
- Proverbs 24:5A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might.
- Proverbs 10:15The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
- Mark 6:2And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, Whence hath this man these things? and, What is the wisdom that is given unto this man, and what mean such mighty works wrought by his hands?
- John 7:47The Pharisees therefore answered them, Are ye also led astray?
- John 9:24So they called a second time the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give glory to God: we know that this man is a sinner.
- 1 Corinthians 1:26For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
- James 2:2For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard - I cannot help pursuing this illustration a little farther. The soldier who found Archimedes busily employed in drawing figures upon the sand, put to him some impertinent question, withal rudely obtruding himself on his operations. To whom this wonderful mathematician replied, "Stand off, soldier, and do not spoil my diagram;" on which the bloody savage struck him dead!Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 A man may, by his wisdom, bring to pass that which he could never do by his strength. If God be for us, who can be against us, or stand before us? Solomon observes the power of wisdom, though it may labour under outward disadvantages. How forcible are right words! But wise and good men must often content themselves with the satisfaction of having done good, or, at least, endeavoured to do it, when they cannot do the good they would, nor have…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-18This poor man's wise action was effective. Wisdom is better than power, strength, or weapons (see Ecclesiastes 4:13; 7:9, 19; 10:4). However, deserving people are not always honored, and even wise individuals are sometimes forgotten (see Ecclesiastes 2:16; 4:16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Resuming the sentiment (Ec 7:19; Pr 21:22; 24:5). poor man's wisdom is despised--not the poor man mentioned in Ec 9:15; for his wisdom could not have saved the city, had "his words not been heard"; but poor men in general. So Paul (Ac 27:11).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries