Ecclesiastes 9:15

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וּמָ֣צָא בָ֗הּ אִ֤ישׁ מִסְכֵּן֙ חָכָ֔ם וּמִלַּט־ה֥וּא אֶת־הָעִ֖יר בְּחָכְמָת֑וֹ וְאָדָם֙ לֹ֣א זָכַ֔ר אֶת־הָאִ֥ישׁ הַמִּסְכֵּ֖ן הַהּֽוּא׃

Transliteration

And-māṣāʾ in-her ʾîš miskēn ḥākām and-millaṭ-he ʾet-the-ʿîr in-ḥokmātô; and-ʾādām not zākar ʾet-the-ʾîš the-miskēn the-that.

Grammar Details

*māṣāʾ*: verb, qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - found
*ʾîš*: noun, masculine singular with article - the man
*miskēn*: adjective, masculine singular with article - the poor
*ḥākām*: adjective, masculine singular - wise
*millaṭ*: verb, piel perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - delivered/saved
*ʿîr*: noun, feminine singular with article - the city
*ḥokmātô*: noun, feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his wisdom
*ʾādām*: noun, masculine singular - mankind/people
*zākar*: verb, qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - remembered
*hû*: demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular - that

Word Meanings

*māṣāʾ*: found/discovered/happened upon
*ʾîš miskēn ḥākām*: poor wise man/lowly but wise person
*miskēn*: poor/lowly/needy/wretched
*millaṭ*: delivered/saved/rescued
*ḥokmātô*: his wisdom/his insight/his understanding
*ʾādām*: mankind/people/no one
*zākar*: remembered/recalled/thought about

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Eccl 4:13 : 13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.
Gen 40:23 : 23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.
2 Sam 20:22 : 22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.
Esth 6:2-3 : 2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, of those that kept the threshold, who had sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, What honor and dignity hath been bestowed on Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.
Eccl 2:16 : 16 For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Eccl 9:16-18
3 verses
87%
16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.
Eccl 9:13-14
2 verses
82%
13I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:
14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.
Prov 28:11
74%
11The rich man is wise in his own conceit; But the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
Eccl 7:19
74%
19Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
Eccl 2:14-16
3 verses
73%
14The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!
Prov 10:15
72%
15The rich man's wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
Eccl 6:8
72%
8For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? [or] what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?
Eccl 4:13
71%
13Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.
Prov 13:7-8
2 verses
71%
7There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth.
8The ransom of a man's life is his riches; But the poor heareth no threatening.
Job 17:10
71%
10But as for you all, come on now again; And I shall not find a wise man among you.
Prov 21:22
70%
22A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, And bringeth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
Eccl 12:9
69%
9And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.
Ps 41:1
69%
1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.
Prov 29:7-9
3 verses
69%
7The righteous taketh knowledge of the cause of the poor; The wicked hath not understanding to know [it].
8Scoffers {H582} set a city in a flame; But wise men turn away wrath.
9If a wise man hath a controversy with a foolish man, Whether he be angry or laugh, there will be no rest.
Eccl 2:21
69%
21For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
Job 28:12-13
2 verses
68%
12But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
13Man knoweth not the price thereof; Neither is it found in the land of the living.
Prov 19:1
68%
1Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity Than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
Job 32:9
68%
9It is not the great that are wise, Nor the aged that understand justice.
Prov 12:8-9
2 verses
68%
8A man shall be commended according to his wisdom; But he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
9Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and hath a servant, Than he that honoreth himself, and lacketh bread.
Eccl 8:17
68%
17then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
Prov 27:12
68%
12A prudent man seeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; [But] the simple pass on, [and] suffer for it.
Prov 3:13
68%
13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, And the man that getteth understanding.
Eccl 9:11
67%
11I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Prov 22:3
67%
3A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
Prov 14:33
67%
33Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding; But [that which is] in the inward part of fools is made known.
Eccl 8:1
67%
1Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.
Job 5:15
67%
15But he saveth from the sword of their mouth, Even the needy from the hand of the mighty.
Prov 1:5
67%
5That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
Prov 19:8
67%
8He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: He that keepeth understanding shall find good.
Prov 11:12
67%
12He that despiseth his neighbor is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
Jer 9:23
67%
23Thus saith Jehovah, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches;
Eccl 2:9
67%
9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
Ps 49:10
67%
10For he shall see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike perish, And leave their wealth to others.
Eccl 9:1
67%
1For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.
Eccl 10:15
67%
15The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city.
Prov 24:5
67%
5A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might.
Job 32:13
67%
13Beware lest ye say, We have found wisdom; God may vanquish him, not man:
2 Chr 9:5
67%
5And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom.
2 Chr 9:23
67%
23And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
Job 29:16
67%
16I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.