Ecclesiastes 4:13

Ecclesiastes 4:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
• New International Version (NIV)Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Better a poor and wise youth Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.

Context of Ecclesiastes 4:13

11Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm? 12And if a [man] overpower the one, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished. 14For out of the prison-house he came forth to reign, although he was born poor in his kingdom. 15I saw all the living that walk under the sun, with the child, the second, that should stand up in his stead.

Ecclesiastes 4:13 word by word

ט֛וֹב יֶ֥לֶד מִסְכֵּ֖ן וְחָכָ֑ם מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ זָקֵן֙ וּכְסִ֔יל אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יָדַ֥ע לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר עֽוֹד׃Read the interlinear

• poorמִסְכֵּןmiskên · poorH4542
• wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• youthיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
• oldזָקֵןzâqên · oldH2205
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 4:13

• Ecclesiastes 9:15and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.
• Genesis 37:2These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, fed the flock with his brethren; and he was doing service with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought to his father an evil report of them.
• Proverbs 19:1Better is a poor [man] that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
• Proverbs 28:6Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse, double in ways, though he be rich.
• 1 Kings 22:8And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah; but I hate him, for he prophesies no good concerning me, but evil: [it is] Micah the son of Imlah. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
• 2 Chronicles 16:9For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro through the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly; for from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
• 2 Chronicles 24:20And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood up above the people and said unto them, Thus saith God: Wherefore do ye transgress the commandments of Jehovah? And ye cannot prosper; for ye have forsaken Jehovah, and he hath forsaken you.
• 2 Chronicles 25:16And it came to pass as he talked with him, that [Amaziah] said to him, Hast thou been made the king's counsellor? Forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbore, and said, I know that God has determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to my counsel.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 4:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Better is a poor and a wise child - The Targum applies this to Abraham. "Abraham was a poor child of only three years of age; but he had the spirit of prophecy, and he refused to worship the idols which the old foolish king - Nimrod - had set up; therefore Nimrod cast him into a furnace of fire. But the Lord worked a miracle and delivered him. Yet here was no knowledge in Nimrod, and he would not be admonished." The Targum proceeds:Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13-16Verses 13-16 These verses set forth the vanity of earthly prosperity even on a throne. Opinion as to their application is chiefly divided between considering them a parable or fiction like that of the childless man in Ecclesiastes 4:8: or as setting forth first the vicissitudes of royal life in two proverbial sayings Ecclesiastes 4:13-14, and then Ecclesiastes 4:15-16, the vicissitudes or procession of the whole human race, one generation giving place to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-16Verses 13-16 People are never long easy and satisfied; they are fond of changes. This is no new thing. Princes see themselves slighted by those they have studied to oblige; this is vanity and vexation of spirit. But the willing servants of the Lord Jesus, our King, rejoice in him alone, and they will love Him more and more to all eternity.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-14Better is a...wise youth: Wisdom is valuable because it helps in real-life situations.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. The "threefold cord" [Ec 4:12] of social ties suggests the subject of civil government. In this case too, he concludes that kingly power confers no lasting happiness. The "wise" child, though a supposed case of Solomon, answers, in the event foreseen by the Holy Ghost, to Jeroboam, then a poor but valiant youth, once a "servant" of Solomon, and (1Ki 11:26-40) appointed by God through the prophet Ahijah to be heir of the kingdom of the ten tribes about…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 4:13

• Children
• Poor
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Prison
• Threefold
• Poor
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wisdom

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 4

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings