Ecclesiastes 9:16

So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, ¹  but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens ²  to his advice. ³ 

biblegateway Ecc 9:16

So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.

biblegateway Ecc 9:16

So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded.

biblegateway Ecc 9:16

Then I realized that though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long.

biblegateway Ecc 9:16

All the same, I still say that wisdom is better than muscle, even though the wise poor man was treated with contempt and soon forgotten.

SABDAweb Ecc 9:16

Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man’s wisdom is not respected, and his words are not given a hearing.

bibleoremus Ecc 9:16

So I said, "Wisdom is better than might; yet the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded."

biblegateway Ecc 9:16

Then I said: "Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard.

biblegateway Ecc 9:16

So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, ¹  but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens ²  to his advice. ³ 

¹ tn Or “power.”

² tn The participle form נִשְׁמָעִים (nishma’im, Niphal participle mpl from שָׁמַע, “to listen”) is used verbally to emphasize a continual, durative, gnomic action.

³ tn Heb “his words are never listened to.”