Ecclesiastes 9:13-16

New International Version

Wisdom Better Than Folly

¹³ I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom^(A) that greatly impressed me: ¹⁴ There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. ¹⁵ Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.^{(B) 16} So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.^(C)