Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 9:16–18

¹⁶And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

¹⁷The calm words of the wise are heeded

over the shouts of a ruler among fools.

¹⁸Wisdom is better than weapons of war,

but one sinner destroys much good.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And I	אָ֔נִי	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
said	וְאָמַ֣רְתִּי	wə·’ā·mar·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
Wisdom	חָכְמָ֖ה	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
is better	טוֹבָ֥ה	ṭō·w·ḇāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
than strength	מִגְּבוּרָ֑ה	mig·gə·ḇū·rāh	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H1369 strength, might
but the wisdom	וְחָכְמַ֤ת	wə·ḥā·ḵə·maṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H2451 wisdom
of the poor	הַמִּסְכֵּן֙	ham·mis·kên	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H4542 poor
man is despised	בְּזוּיָ֔ה	bə·zū·yāh	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular	H959 despise
and his words	וּדְבָרָ֖יו	ū·ḏə·ḇā·rāw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
are not	אֵינָ֥ם	’ê·nām	Adverb; third person masculine plural	H369 nothing, nought
heeded	נִשְׁמָעִֽים׃	niš·mā·‘îm	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural	H8085 hear

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The calm	בְּנַ֖חַת	bə·na·ḥaṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular	H5183 quietness, rest
words	דִּבְרֵ֣י	diḇ·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1697 speech, word
of the wise	חֲכָמִ֔ים	ḥă·ḵā·mîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2450 wise
are heeded	נִשְׁמָעִ֑ים	niš·mā·‘îm	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural	H8085 hear
over the shouts	מִזַּעֲקַ֥ת	miz·za·‘ă·qaṯ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H2201 shriek, outcry
of a ruler	מוֹשֵׁ֖ל	mō·wō·šêl	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H4910 rule, have dominion, reign
among fools	בַּכְּסִילִֽים׃	bak·kə·sî·lîm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Wisdom	חָכְמָ֖ה	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
is better	טוֹבָ֥ה	ṭō·w·ḇāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
than weapons	מִכְּלֵ֣י	mik·kə·lê	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct	H3627 article, utensil, vessel
of war	קְרָ֑ב	qə·rāḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H7128 battle, war
but one	אֶחָ֔ד	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
sinner	וְחוֹטֶ֣א	wə·ḥō·w·ṭe	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H2398 miss
destroys	יְאַבֵּ֥ד	yə·’ab·bêḏ	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6 perish
much	הַרְבֵּֽה׃	har·bêh	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
good	טוֹבָ֥ה	ṭō·w·ḇāh	Noun - feminine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ecclesiastes 9:16 Ecclesiastes 7:19 · Proverbs 24:5 · Proverbs 21:22 · Mark 6:2–3 · 1 Corinthians 1:26–29 · James 2:2–6 · Ecclesiastes 9:18 · John 7:47–49 · Proverbs 10:15 · John 9:24–34

Ecclesiastes 9:17 James 3:17–18 · Proverbs 28:23 · James 1:20 · Isaiah 42:2

Ecclesiastes 9:18 Joshua 7:11–12 · Joshua 7:1 · 2 Timothy 4:3–4 · Joshua 7:5 · 2 Timothy 2:16–18 · Ecclesiastes 9:16 · Titus 1:10–11 · 2 Timothy 3:8

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.