Ecclesiastes 4:13
Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.
Revised Version 1895
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
14For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
Cross References
1 Kings 22:8And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah the son of Imlah: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
2 Chronicles 24:20And the spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
Proverbs 19:1Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity than he that perverse in his lips and is a fool.
Proverbs 28:15As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a 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 →