Prediger 9:16

Schlachter Bibel

Da sprach ich: Weisheit ist besser als Stärke! Aber die Weisheit des Armen ist verachtet, und man hört nicht auf ihn.

Parallel Translations

Lutherbible (1912)
Da sprach ich: "Weisheit ist ja besser den Stärke; doch wird des Armen Weisheit verachtet und seinen Worten nicht gehorcht."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Wisdom: Ecclesiastes 9:18, Ecclesiastes 7:19, Proverbs 21:22, Proverbs 24:5

the poor: Proverbs 10:15, Mark 6:2, Mark 6:3, John 7:47-49, John 9:24-34, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, James 2:2-6

Reciprocal: Genesis 40:23 - but forgat him Joshua 8:4 - go not 1 Samuel 18:23 - a poor man 2 Kings 2:12 - My father Proverbs 4:7 - Wisdom is Proverbs 8:14 - I have Proverbs 19:7 - the brethren Ecclesiastes 2:13 - I saw Ecclesiastes 2:14 - one Ecclesiastes 4:13 - is a poor Jeremiah 43:4 - obeyed Daniel 2:23 - who hast Galatians 4:14 - ye James 2:6 - ye

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said I, wisdom [is] better than strength,.... Wisdom of mind, even in a poor man, is better than strength of body, even of the, most potent prince and powerful army, as may be concluded from the above instance; since the poor wise man could do more by his wisdom than the great king with his mighty army; who was obliged to break up the siege, in consequence of the counsel given, or the methods directed to, or taken, by the poor man;

nevertheless, the poor man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard; notwithstanding such a flagrant instance and example as this just mentioned; yet men still retain their prejudices against a poor man, and despise his wise counsels and advice, for no other reason but because he is poor, and will not attend to what he says: or, "though the poor man's wisdom", c. k, as Aben Ezra Solomon drew the above conclusion from that instance; though this is usually the case, that men despise the wisdom of a poor man, and will not listen to his advice, this did not lessen the wise man's opinion of it. The words may be rendered, "even the poor man's wisdom despised, and his words not heard" l; these are better than outward force and strength, and more serviceable and useful; which the Septuagint version favours: the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "how is the poor man's wisdom despised!" c. as wondering at it that so it should be, when so much profit and advantage arose to the city from it.

k וחכמת "quamvis sapientia", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Gejerus, Amama "etsi", Drusius. l "Et pauperis sapientiam contemptam", &c. Tigurine version.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 16. The poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. — I cannot help pursuing this illustration a little farther. The soldier who found Archimedes busily employed in drawing figures upon the sand, put to him some impertinent question, withal rudely obtruding himself on his operations. To whom this wonderful mathematician replied, "Stand off, soldier, and do not spoil my diagram;" on which the bloody savage struck him dead!