Ecclesiastes 2:13

And I thought, “Surely it is better to be wise than to be foolish, like light is better than darkness,

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

In Context

12Then I started to think about being wise, and also about being foolish [DOU]. I said to myself, “I certainly do not think that [RHQ] the next king will be able to do anything better than I can.”

14because wise people walk in the daylight and [IDM] can see where they are going, but foolish people walk in the darkness and cannot see where they are going.” But I also realized that both wise people and foolish people eventually die.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 2

Cross References

Psalms 119:105Your words are like [MET] a lamp to guide me; they are like a light [MET] to show me the path that I should walk on.

Proverbs 4:5Obtain wisdom and understanding, and ◄do not abandon/hold fast to► [LIT] what I have taught you.

Proverbs 14:8Those who have good sense are wise, so they know what they should do and what they should not do; foolish people do not know what is right to do, but because they think that they do, they are deceiving themselves.

Ecclesiastes 7:11Being wise is better than inheriting valuable things; being wise provides lasting benefits for every person on the earth [MTY].

Ecclesiastes 9:16So I realized that although being wise is better than being strong, if you are poor, no one will appreciate what you do, and people will soon forget what you said.

Ecclesiastes 11:7It is very delightful to be alive and see [MTY] the sun rise every morning.

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 2:13-17

Superiority of Wisdom to Folly. 12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. 13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. 15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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