Ecclesiastes 4:13

It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to listen to warnings.

Unlocked Literal Bible

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

12One man alone can be overpowered, 2 but two can withstand an attack, 2 and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.

14This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 4

Cross References

1 Kings 22:8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may seek advice from Yahweh to help, Micaiah son of Imlah, but I hate him because he does not prophesy anything good about me, but only hardships.” But Jehoshaphat said, “May the king not say that.”

2 Chronicles 24:20The Spirit of God came on Zechariah son of Jehoiada, the priest; Zechariah stood above the people and said to them, “God says this: Why do you transgress the commandments of Yahweh, so that you cannot prosper? Since you have forsaken Yahweh, he has also forsaken you.”

Proverbs 19:1Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity 1 than one who is perverse in speech and is a fool. 1

Proverbs 28:15Like a roaring lion or a charging bear 1 is a wicked ruler over poor people. 1

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 →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ecclesiastes 4:13