Ecclesiastes 9:16
And I said that wisdom is better than strength: how then is the wisdom of the poor man slighted, and his words not heard?
Douay-Rheims 1899
In The King James Version
In Context
17The words of the wise are heard in silence, more than the cry of a prince among fools.
Cross References
Proverbs 10:15The substance of a rich man is the city of his strength: the fear of the poor is their poverty.
Proverbs 24:5A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
Ecclesiastes 9:18Better is wisdom, than weapons of war: and he that shall offend in one, shall lose many good things.
Mark 6:2And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were in admiration at his doctrine, saying: How came this man by all these things? and what wisdom is this that is given to him, and such mighty works as are wrought by his hands?
John 9:24They therefore called the man again that had been blind, and said to him: Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.
James 2:2For if there shall come into your assembly a man having a golden ring, in fine apparel, and there shall come in also a poor man in mean attire,
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 →