Ecclesiastes 9:17

Bible in Basic English (1941)

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

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Jas 3:17-18 : 17 But the wisdom which is from heaven is first holy, then gentle, readily giving way in argument, full of peace and mercy and good works, not doubting, not seeming other than it is. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace for those who make peace.
  • Gen 41:33-40 : 33 And now let Pharaoh make search for a man of wisdom and good sense, and put him in authority over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him put overseers over the land of Egypt to put in store a fifth part of the produce of the land in the good years. 35 And let them get together all the food in those good years and make a store of grain under Pharaoh's control for the use of the towns, and let them keep it. 36 And let that food be kept in store for the land till the seven bad years which are to come in Egypt; so that the land may not come to destruction through need of food. 37 And this seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants. 38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, Where may we get such a man as this, a man in whom is the spirit of God? 39 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Seeing that God has made all this clear to you, there is no other man of such wisdom and good sense as you: 40 You, then, are to be over my house, and all my people will be ruled by your word: only as king will I be greater than you.
  • 1 Sam 7:3-6 : 3 Then Samuel said to all Israel, If with all your hearts you would come back to the Lord, then put away all the strange gods and the Astartes from among you, and let your hearts be turned to the Lord, and be servants to him only: and he will make you safe from the hands of the Philistines. 4 So the children of Israel gave up the worship of Baal and Astarte, and became worshippers of the Lord only. 5 Then Samuel said, Let all Israel come to Mizpah and I will make prayer to the Lord for you. 6 So they came together to Mizpah, and got water, draining it out before the Lord, and they took no food that day, and they said, We have done evil against the Lord. And Samuel was judge of the children of Israel in Mizpah.
  • Prov 28:23 : 23 He who says words of protest to a man will later have more approval than one who says smooth words with his tongue.
  • Isa 42:2 : 2 He will make no cry, his voice will not be loud: his words will not come to men's ears in the streets.
  • Isa 42:4 : 4 His light will not be put out, and he will not be crushed, till he has given the knowledge of the true God to the earth, and the sea-lands will be waiting for his teaching.
  • Jas 1:20 : 20 For the righteousness of God does not come about by the wrath of man.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 9:15-16
    2 verses
    84%

    15 Now 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.

    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.

  • Eccl 7:4-6
    3 verses
    80%

    4 The hearts of the wise are in the house of weeping; but the hearts of the foolish are in the house of joy.

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

    6 Like the cracking of thorns under a pot, so is the laugh of a foolish man; and this again is to no purpose.

  • Prov 29:11
    78%

    11 A foolish man lets out all his wrath, but a wise man keeps it back quietly.

  • Prov 17:27-28
    2 verses
    78%

    27 He who has knowledge says little: and he who has a calm spirit is a man of good sense.

    28 Even the foolish man, when he keeps quiet, is taken to be wise: when his lips are shut he is credited with good sense.

  • Eccl 9:18
    77%

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

  • Prov 23:9
    77%

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

  • Prov 14:33
    76%

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

  • Eccl 4:13
    76%

    13 A 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.

  • Prov 12:23
    75%

    23 A sharp man keeps back his knowledge; but the heart of foolish men makes clear their foolish thoughts.

  • Eccl 7:19
    75%

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

  • Prov 29:9
    75%

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

  • Prov 14:24
    75%

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

  • Prov 10:14
    75%

    14 Knowledge is stored up by the wise, but the mouth of the foolish man is a destruction which is near.

  • Prov 19:10
    74%

    10 Material comfort is not good for the foolish; much less for a servant to be put over rulers.

  • Prov 24:7
    74%

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

  • Prov 10:8
    74%

    8 The wise-hearted man will let himself be ruled, but the man whose talk is foolish will have a fall.

  • Prov 1:5
    74%

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

  • Prov 29:20
    74%

    20 Have you seen a man who is quick with his tongue? There is more hope for a foolish man than for him.

  • Prov 12:15-16
    2 verses
    74%

    15 The way of the foolish man seems right to him? but the wise man gives ear to suggestions.

    16 A foolish man lets his trouble be openly seen, but a sharp man keeps shame secret.

  • Prov 17:10
    73%

    10 A word of protest goes deeper into one who has sense than a hundred blows into a foolish man.

  • Prov 15:2
    73%

    2 Knowledge is dropping from the tongue of the wise; but from the mouth of the foolish comes a stream of foolish words.

  • Prov 14:7-8
    2 verses
    73%

    7 Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.

    8 The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.

  • Eccl 10:12
    73%

    12 The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.

  • Prov 17:24
    73%

    24 Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.

  • Prov 13:16
    73%

    16 A sharp man does everything with knowledge, but a foolish man makes clear his foolish thoughts.

  • Prov 10:19
    72%

    19 Where there is much talk there will be no end to sin, but he who keeps his mouth shut does wisely.

  • Prov 19:1
    72%

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

  • Eccl 7:9
    72%

    9 Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish.

  • Eccl 2:13-14
    2 verses
    72%

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

    14 The 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.

  • Prov 14:3
    72%

    3 In the mouth of the foolish man is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.

  • Prov 18:15
    72%

    15 The heart of the man of good sense gets knowledge; the ear of the wise is searching for knowledge.

  • Prov 15:7
    72%

    7 The lips of the wise keep knowledge, but the heart of the foolish man is not right.

  • Prov 20:3
    72%

    3 It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.

  • Prov 15:14
    72%

    14 The heart of the man of good sense goes in search of knowledge, but foolish things are the food of the unwise.

  • Prov 14:29
    72%

    29 He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is over-quick gives support to what is foolish.

  • Job 34:2
    72%

    2 Give ear, you wise, to my words; and you who have knowledge, give attention to me;

  • Eccl 2:16
    71%

    16 Of 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!

  • Prov 22:17
    71%

    17 Let your ear be bent down for hearing my words, and let your heart give thought to knowledge.

  • Prov 17:7
    71%

    7 Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.

  • Prov 16:14
    71%

    14 The wrath of the king is like those who give news of death, but a wise man will put peace in place of it.

  • Eccl 4:6
    71%

    6 One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.

  • Prov 14:16
    71%

    16 The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.

  • Prov 16:22
    71%

    22 Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it; but the punishment of the foolish is their foolish behaviour.