Ecclesiastes 9:13-18
Legacy Standard Bible
13 Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and [a]it was great to me. 14 There (A)was a small city with few men in it, and a great king came to it, surrounded it, and built large siegeworks against it. 15 But there was found in it a (B)poor wise man, and he provided a way of escape for the city (C)by his wisdom. Yet (D)no one remembered that poor man. 16 So I said, “(E)Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heard. 17 The (F)words of the wise heard in restfulness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18 (G)Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but (H)one sinner destroys much good.
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- Ecclesiastes 9:13 Lit great it was to me
Ecclesiastes 9:13-18
New International Version
Wisdom Better Than Folly
13 I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom(A) that greatly impressed me: 14 There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. 15 Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.(B) 16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.(C)
17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
18 Wisdom(D) is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner destroys much good.
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