Ecclesiastes 4:13
Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who has not known to be warned anymore.
Literal Standard 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 says to Jehoshaphat, “Yet one man [remains] to seek YHWH from him, and I have hated him, for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil—Micaiah son of Imlah”; and Jehoshaphat says, “Do not let the king say so.”
2 Chronicles 24:20and the Spirit of God has clothed Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stands above the people, and says to them, “Thus said God: Why are you transgressing the commands of YHWH, and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken YHWH, He forsakes you.”
Proverbs 19:1Better [is] the poor walking in his integrity, || Than the perverse [in] his lips—who [is] a fool.
Proverbs 28:15A growling lion, and a ranging bear, || [Is] the wicked ruler over a poor people.
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 →