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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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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 9:13 Lit great it was to me

13 I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me: 14 There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works against it. 15 Now a poor wise man was found in the city,(A) and he delivered the city by his wisdom.(B) Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16 And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength,(C) but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

17 The calm words of the wise are heeded
more than the shouts of a ruler over fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner can destroy much good.(D)

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