Ecclesiastes 9:13-18

New International Reader's Version

Being Wise Is Better Than Being Foolish

¹³ Here’s something else I saw on this earth. I saw an example of wisdom that touched me deeply. ¹⁴ There was once a small city. Only a few people lived there. A powerful king attacked it. He brought in war machines all around it. ¹⁵ A certain man lived in that city. He was poor but wise. He used his wisdom to save the city. But no one remembered that poor man. ¹⁶ So I said, “It’s better to be wise than to be powerful.” But people look down on the poor man’s wisdom. No one pays any attention to what he says.