Ecclesiastes 4:13 “Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no lo…”

Ecclesiastes 4:13

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

World English Bible

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.

American Standard Version

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.

Geneva Bible 1599

Better is a poore and wise childe, then an olde and foolish King, which will no more be admonished.

Darby Translation

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished.

Young's Literal Translation

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who hath not known to be warned any more.

Bible in Basic English

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.

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Cross references

“is a poor”

Proverbs 19:1 Genesis 37:2 Proverbs 28:6 Ecclesiastes 9:15 Ecclesiastes 9:16 Proverbs 28:15

Proverbs 19:1 · BSB

Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a fool whose lips are perverse.

Genesis 37:2 · BSB

This is the account of Jacob. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was tending the flock with his brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah, and he brought their father a bad report about them.

Proverbs 28:6 · BSB

Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a rich man whose ways are perverse.

Ecclesiastes 9:15 · BSB

Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

Ecclesiastes 9:16 · BSB

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

Proverbs 28:15 · BSB

Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

“will no more be”

2 Chronicles 25:16 1 Kings 22:8 2 Chronicles 24:20–22 2 Chronicles 16:9 2 Chronicles 16:10

2 Chronicles 25:16 · BSB

While he was still speaking, the king asked, “Have we made you the counselor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have d…

1 Kings 22:8 · BSB

The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should n…

2 Chronicles 24:20–22 · BSB

Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosp…

2 Chronicles 16:9 · BSB

For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be a…

2 Chronicles 16:10 · BSB

Asa was angry with the seer and became so enraged over this matter that he put the man in prison. And at the same time Asa oppressed some of the people.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

12And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

14For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.

Read Ecclesiastes 4