Ecclesiastes 4:13
Better is a boy, poor and wise, than a king, old and foolish, who does not know to look ahead for the sake of posterity.
Catholic Public Domain Version
In The King James Version
Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
In Context
Cross References
1 Kings 22:8And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: “One man remains, by whom we may be able to inquire of the Lord: Micaiah, the son of Imlah. But I hate him. For he does not prophecy good to me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “You should not speak in this way, O king.”
2 Chronicles 24:20And so the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest. And he stood in the sight of the people, and he said to them: “Thus says the Lord God: Why have you transgressed the precept of the Lord, though it was not to your benefit, and why have you abandoned the Lord, so that he would then abandon you?”
Proverbs 19:1Better is the poor who walks in his simplicity, than the rich who twists his lips and is unwise.
Proverbs 28:15An impious leader over a poor people is like a roaring lion and a hungry bear.
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 4:8-13
The Vanity of Human Wishes. 7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. 8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. 9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is… Read the whole commentary →