Ecclesiastes 9:16

Bible in Basic English (1941)

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.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 7:19 : 19 Wisdom makes a wise man stronger than ten rulers in a town.
  • Prov 21:22 : 22 A wise man goes up into the town of the strong ones, and overcomes its strength in which they put their faith.
  • Prov 24:5 : 5 A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.
  • Mark 6:2-3 : 2 And when the Sabbath day had come, he was teaching in the Synagogue; and a number of people hearing him were surprised, saying, From where did this man get these things? and, What is the wisdom given to this man, and what are these works of power done by his hands? 3 Is not this the woodworker, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were bitter against him.
  • John 7:47-49 : 47 Then the Pharisees said to them, Have you, like the others, been given false ideas? 48 Have any of the rulers belief in him, or any one of the Pharisees? 49 But these people who have no knowledge of the law are cursed.
  • Eccl 9:18 : 18 Wisdom is better than instruments of war, but one sinner is the destruction of much good.
  • Prov 10:15 : 15 The property of the man of wealth is his strong town: the poor man's need is his destruction.
  • John 9:24-34 : 24 So they sent a second time for the man who had been blind and they said to him, Give glory to God: it is clear to us that this man is a sinner. 25 He said in answer, I have no knowledge if he is a sinner or not, but one thing I am certain about; I was blind, and now I see. 26 Then they said to him, What did he do to you? how did he give you the use of your eyes? 27 His answer was: I have said it before, but your ears were shut: why would you have me say it again? is it your desire to become his disciples? 28 And they were angry with him and said, You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We are certain that God gave his word to Moses: but as for this man, we have no knowledge where he comes from. 30 The man said in answer, Why, here is a strange thing! You have no knowledge where he comes from though he gave me the use of my eyes. 31 We have knowledge that God does not give ear to sinners, but if any man is a worshipper of God and does his pleasure, to him God's ears are open. 32 In all the years nobody has ever before seen the eyes of a man blind from birth made open. 33 If this man did not come from God he would be unable to do anything. 34 Their answer was: You came to birth through sin; do you make yourself our teacher? And they put him out of the Synagogue.
  • 1 Cor 1:26-29 : 26 For you see God's design for you, my brothers, that he has not taken a great number of the wise after the flesh, not the strong, not the noble: 27 But God made selection of the foolish things of this world so that he might put the wise to shame; and the feeble things that he might put to shame the strong; 28 And the low things of the world, and the things without honour, did God make selection of, yes, even the things which are not, so that he might make as nothing the things which are: 29 So that no flesh might have glory before God.
  • Jas 2:2-6 : 2 For if a man comes into your Synagogue in fair clothing and with a gold ring, and a poor man comes in with dirty clothing, 3 And you do honour to the man in fair clothing and say, Come here and take this good place; and you say to the poor man, Take up your position there, or be seated at my feet; 4 Is there not a division in your minds? have you not become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Give ear, my dear brothers; are not those who are poor in the things of this world marked out by God to have faith as their wealth, and for their heritage the kingdom which he has said he will give to those who have love for him? 6 But you have put the poor man to shame. Are not the men of wealth rulers over you? do they not take you by force before their judges?

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 9:13-15
    3 verses
    87%

    13This again I have seen under the sun as wisdom and it seemed great to me.

    14There was a little town and the number of its men was small, and there came a great king against it and made an attack on it, building works of war round about it.

    15Now there was in the town a poor, wise man, and he, by his wisdom, kept the town safe. But no one had any memory of that same poor man.

  • Eccl 9:17-18
    2 verses
    84%

    17The words of the wise which come quietly to the ear are noted more than the cry of a ruler among the foolish.

    18Wisdom is better than instruments of war, but one sinner is the destruction of much good.

  • Prov 28:11
    77%

    11The man of wealth seems to himself to be wise, but the poor man who has sense has a low opinion of him.

  • Eccl 6:8
    77%

    8What have the wise more than the foolish? and what has the poor man by walking wisely before the living?

  • Eccl 4:13
    76%

    13A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others.

  • Eccl 7:19
    76%

    19Wisdom makes a wise man stronger than ten rulers in a town.

  • Prov 10:15
    75%

    15The property of the man of wealth is his strong town: the poor man's need is his destruction.

  • Prov 19:1
    74%

    1Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted.

  • Eccl 2:13-16
    4 verses
    74%

    13Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways--as the light is better than the dark.

    14The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the foolish man goes walking in the dark; but still I saw that the same event comes to them all.

    15Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.

    16Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!

  • Job 32:9
    74%

    9It is not the old who are wise, and those who are full of years have not the knowledge of what is right.

  • Prov 13:8
    74%

    8A man will give his wealth in exchange for his life; but the poor will not give ear to sharp words.

  • Prov 16:16
    73%

    16How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! and to get knowledge is more to be desired than silver.

  • Prov 23:9
    73%

    9Say nothing in the hearing of a foolish man, for he will put no value on the wisdom of your words.

  • Eccl 7:5
    73%

    5It is better to take note of the protest of the wise, than for a man to give ear to the song of the foolish.

  • Prov 12:8-9
    2 verses
    73%

    8A man will be praised in the measure of his wisdom, but a wrong-minded man will be looked down on.

    9He who is of low position and has a servant, is better than one who has a high opinion of himself and is in need of bread.

  • Prov 8:11
    72%

    11For wisdom is better than jewels, and all things which may be desired are nothing in comparison with her.

  • Prov 17:16
    72%

    16How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?

  • Jer 8:9
    72%

    9The wise men are shamed, they are overcome with fear and taken: see, they have given up the word of the Lord; and what use is their wisdom to them?

  • Job 17:10
    72%

    10But come back, now, all of you, come; and I will not see a wise man among you.

  • Prov 28:6
    72%

    6Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are not straight.

  • Jer 9:23
    72%

    23This is the word of the Lord: Let not the wise man take pride in his wisdom, or the strong man in his strength, or the man of wealth in his wealth:

  • Prov 21:13
    72%

    13He whose ears are stopped at the cry of the poor, will himself get no answer to his cry for help.

  • Prov 29:9
    72%

    9If a wise man goes to law with a foolish man, he may be angry or laughing, but there will be no rest.

  • Eccl 1:16
    72%

    16I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem--yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.

  • Prov 11:12
    72%

    12He who has a poor opinion of his neighbour has no sense, but a wise man keeps quiet.

  • Prov 1:20
    71%

    20Wisdom is crying out in the street; her voice is loud in the open places;

  • Prov 14:24
    71%

    24Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.

  • Prov 14:33
    71%

    33Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.

  • Job 34:34
    71%

    34Men of knowledge, and all wise men, hearing me, will say,

  • Job 28:12
    71%

    12But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?

  • Prov 1:5
    71%

    5(The wise man, hearing, will get greater learning, and the acts of the man of good sense will be wisely guided:)

  • Job 34:16
    71%

    16If you are wise, take note of this; give ear to the voice of my words.

  • Eccl 10:6
    71%

    6The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.

  • Job 32:13
    71%

    13Take care that you do not say, Wisdom is here; God may overcome him, but not man.

  • Eccl 10:3
    71%

    3And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.

  • Prov 24:7
    71%

    7Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.

  • Prov 8:14
    71%

    14Wise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.

  • Job 29:11
    71%

    11For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;

  • Prov 26:12
    71%

    12Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him.

  • Prov 21:22
    71%

    22A wise man goes up into the town of the strong ones, and overcomes its strength in which they put their faith.

  • Eccl 7:11
    71%

    11Wisdom together with a heritage is good, and a profit to those who see the sun.

  • Prov 24:5
    70%

    5A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.

  • Job 36:19
    70%

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