Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, August 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible
Easy-to-Read Version
Ecclesiastes 9:13
I also saw a person doing a wise thing in this life, and it seemed very important to me.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- BridgewayEncyclopedias:
- InternationalDevotionals:
- EveryParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me:
I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me:
Hebrew Names Version
I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.
I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.
King James Version
This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
English Standard Version
I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
New American Standard Bible
This too I saw as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me:
This too I saw as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me:
New Century Version
I also saw something wise here on earth that impressed me.
I also saw something wise here on earth that impressed me.
Amplified Bible
This [illustration of] wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and great it was to me:
This [illustration of] wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and great it was to me:
World English Bible
I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.
I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.
Geneva Bible (1587)
I haue also seene this wisedome vnder the sunne, and it is great vnto me.
I haue also seene this wisedome vnder the sunne, and it is great vnto me.
Legacy Standard Bible
Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me.
Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me.
Berean Standard Bible
I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:
I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:
Contemporary English Version
Once I saw what people really think of wisdom.
Once I saw what people really think of wisdom.
Complete Jewish Bible
Here is something else I have seen as wisdom under the sun, and it seemed important to me:
Here is something else I have seen as wisdom under the sun, and it seemed important to me:
Darby Translation
This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.
This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.
George Lamsa Translation
This wisdom I have seen also under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
This wisdom I have seen also under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
Good News Translation
There is something else I saw, a good example of how wisdom is regarded in this world.
There is something else I saw, a good example of how wisdom is regarded in this world.
Lexham English Bible
I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
Literal Translation
This wisdom I saw also under the sun, and it is great to me:
This wisdom I saw also under the sun, and it is great to me:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This wi?dome haue I sene also vnder ye Sone, & me thought it a greate thinge.
This wi?dome haue I sene also vnder ye Sone, & me thought it a greate thinge.
American Standard Version
I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:
I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:
Bible in Basic English
This again I have seen under the sun as wisdom and it seemed great to me.
This again I have seen under the sun as wisdom and it seemed great to me.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
King James Version (1611)
This wisedome haue I seene also vnder the Sunne, and it seemed great vnto me:
This wisedome haue I seene also vnder the Sunne, and it seemed great vnto me:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
This wysdome haue I seene also vnder the sunne, and me thought it a great thing:
This wysdome haue I seene also vnder the sunne, and me thought it a great thing:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
This I also saw to be wisdom under the sun, and it is great before me:
This I also saw to be wisdom under the sun, and it is great before me:
English Revised Version
I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:
I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Also Y siy this wisdom vndur the sunne, and Y preuede it the mooste.
Also Y siy this wisdom vndur the sunne, and Y preuede it the mooste.
Update Bible Version
I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great to me:
I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great to me:
Webster's Bible Translation
This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it [seemed] to me great:
This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it [seemed] to me great:
New English Translation
This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:
This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:
New King James Version
This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
New Living Translation
Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works.
Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works.
New Life Bible
I have also seen this as wisdom under the sun, and it made me think.
I have also seen this as wisdom under the sun, and it made me think.
New Revised Standard
I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Even this, had I seen of wisdom, under the sun, - and, of great import, was the same unto me: -
Even this, had I seen of wisdom, under the sun, - and, of great import, was the same unto me: -
Douay-Rheims Bible
This wisdom also I have seen under the sun, and it seemed to me to be very great:
This wisdom also I have seen under the sun, and it seemed to me to be very great:
Revised Standard Version
I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
Young's Literal Translation
This also I have seen: wisdom under the sun, and it is great to me.
This also I have seen: wisdom under the sun, and it is great to me.
THE MESSAGE
One day as I was observing how wisdom fares on this earth, I saw something that made me sit up and take notice. There was a small town with only a few people in it. A strong king came and mounted an attack, building trenches and attack posts around it. There was a poor but wise man in that town whose wisdom saved the town, but he was promptly forgotten. (He was only a poor man, after all.)
One day as I was observing how wisdom fares on this earth, I saw something that made me sit up and take notice. There was a small town with only a few people in it. A strong king came and mounted an attack, building trenches and attack posts around it. There was a poor but wise man in that town whose wisdom saved the town, but he was promptly forgotten. (He was only a poor man, after all.)
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me.
Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me.
Contextual Overview
13 I also saw a person doing a wise thing in this life, and it seemed very important to me. 14 There was a small town with a few people in it. A great king fought against that town and put his armies all around it. 15 But there was a wise man in that town. He was poor, but he used his wisdom to save his town. After everything was finished, the people forgot about the poor man. 16 But I still say that wisdom is better than strength. They forgot about the poor man's wisdom, and the people stopped listening to what he said. But I still believe that wisdom is better. 17 Words spoken by the wise are heard more clearly than those shouted by a leader among fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one fool can destroy much good.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Ecclesiastes 9:11, Ecclesiastes 6:1, Ecclesiastes 7:15, Ecclesiastes 8:16
Reciprocal: Proverbs 21:22 - General Ecclesiastes 1:3 - under Ecclesiastes 2:19 - wise under Daniel 2:14 - with
Cross-References
Ezekiel 1:28
The light shining around him was like a rainbow in a cloud. It was the Glory of the Lord . As soon as I saw that, I fell to the ground. I bowed with my face to the ground, and then I heard a voice speaking to me.
The light shining around him was like a rainbow in a cloud. It was the Glory of the Lord . As soon as I saw that, I fell to the ground. I bowed with my face to the ground, and then I heard a voice speaking to me.
Revelation 4:3
The one sitting there was as beautiful as precious stones, like jasper and carnelian. All around the throne was a rainbow with clear colors like an emerald.
The one sitting there was as beautiful as precious stones, like jasper and carnelian. All around the throne was a rainbow with clear colors like an emerald.
Revelation 10:1
Then I saw another powerful angel coming down from heaven. The angel was dressed in a cloud. He had a rainbow around his head. The angel's face was like the sun, and his legs were like poles of fire.
Then I saw another powerful angel coming down from heaven. The angel was dressed in a cloud. He had a rainbow around his head. The angel's face was like the sun, and his legs were like poles of fire.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
This wisdom have I seen also under the sun,.... Or, "this also I have seen under the sun, even wisdom" h: besides those things he had, just now observed, he took notice that there was such a thing as wisdom among men; though success did not always attend the wise, the understanding, and skilful; and though there was so much ignorance in men, of their own time, and were so easily and suddenly ensnared in an evil time;
and it [seemed] great unto me; Solomon had a high value for wisdom, and he still retained the same sentiments of it he had before, in Ecclesiastes 2:13, of which he gives the following instance.
h גם זה ראיתי חכמה תחת השמש "Hoc etiam vidi sub sole, nempe sapientiam", Tigurine version; "etiam hoc vidi, sapientiam sub sole", Cocceius; "etiam hoc vidi, videlicet, sapientiam sub sole", Gejerus.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Or, Also this have I seen - wisdom under the sun, and great it seemed to me.
From this verse to the end of Ecclesiastes 10:0, the writer inculcates, in a series of proverbs, wisdom in contrast to folly, as the best remedy in the present life to the evil of vanity.
