Ecclesiastes 9:16
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
Original Language Analysis
טוֹבָ֥ה
is better
H2896
טוֹבָ֥ה
is better
Strong's:
H2896
Word #:
3 of 11
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good
מִגְּבוּרָ֑ה
than strength
H1369
מִגְּבוּרָ֑ה
than strength
Strong's:
H1369
Word #:
5 of 11
force (literally or figuratively); by implication, valor, victory
וּדְבָרָ֖יו
and his words
H1697
וּדְבָרָ֖יו
and his words
Strong's:
H1697
Word #:
9 of 11
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אֵינָ֥ם
H369
Cross References
Ecclesiastes 7:19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.Proverbs 24:5A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.Proverbs 21:22A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.Proverbs 10:15The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.Ecclesiastes 9:18Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
Historical Context
Ancient (and modern) honor-shame cultures assigned credibility based on social status—nobility's words carried weight, peasants' didn't, regardless of actual merit. Biblical wisdom consistently challenges this pattern, highlighting God's use of unlikely sources.
Questions for Reflection
- How might prejudice based on social status cause you to dismiss wise counsel from unexpected sources?
- In what areas is the Church guilty of privileging wealth, education, or status over wisdom's actual content?
- What practices could help you evaluate ideas based on truth rather than the speaker's social standing?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength (וְאָמַרְתִּי אָנִי טוֹבָה חָכְמָה מִגְּבוּרָה, ve'amarti ani tovah chokhmah migevurah)—'and I said, better is wisdom than might.' The comparison tovah... min (better than) is Ecclesiastes' favored formulation for value judgments. Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard (וְחָכְמַת הַמִּסְכֵּן בְּזוּיָה וּדְבָרָיו אֵינָם נִשְׁמָעִים, vechakhmat hamisken bezuyah udvarav einam nishma'im)—literally 'yet the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.'
Qoheleth draws two conclusions from the parable:
The passive participle bezuyah (despised, treated with contempt) and negative einam nishma'im (are not heard) reveal society's tragic pattern: truth's validity depends on the speaker's status rather than content's merit. Jesus faced this: 'Is not this the carpenter's son?' (Matthew 13:55)—dismissing His wisdom based on humble origins. James rebukes this: 'Show no partiality... if a poor man in shabby clothing comes in... do you not discriminate?' (James 2:1-4). The Kingdom inverts earthly valuations: the last become first (Matthew 20:16).