Ecclesiastes 9:16

Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

Darby Translation

In The King James Version

Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

In Context

15and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.

17The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 9

Cross References

Proverbs 10:15The rich man's wealth is his strong city; the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

Proverbs 24:5A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

Ecclesiastes 9:18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.

Mark 6:2And when sabbath was come he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing were amazed, saying, Whence [has] this [man] these things? and what [is] the wisdom that is given to him, and such works of power are done by his hands?

John 9:24They called therefore a second time the man who had been blind, and said to him, Give glory to God: we know that this man is sinful.

James 2:2for if there come unto your synagogue a man with a gold ring in splendid apparel, and a poor man also come in in vile apparel,

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 9:14-18

The Advantages of Wisdom. 13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me: 14 There 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: 15 Now 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. 16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. 17 The words of… Read the whole commentary →

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Study Ecclesiastes 9:16