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.)

¹⁶All the same, I still say that wisdom is better than muscle, even though the wise poor man was treated with contempt and soon forgotten.

¹⁷The quiet words of the wise are more effective

Than the ranting of a king of fools.

¹⁸Wisdom is better than warheads,

But one hothead can ruin the good earth.

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In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.

The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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. 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. So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.

The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded

than the shouts of a ruler of fools.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war,

but one sinner destroys much good.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works against it. Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

The calm words of the wise are heeded

more than the shouts of a ruler over fools.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war,

but one sinner can destroy much good.

NLTNew Living Translation

There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it. A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him. So even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long.

Better to hear the quiet words of a wise person

than the shouts of a foolish king.

Better to have wisdom than weapons of war,

but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

There was a small city with few people in it. A great king came and besieged it, building great siege works against it. Now, a poor wise man was found in it, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. But no one remembered that poor man. So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, yet the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.

The words of the wise are heard in peace

more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among the fools.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war,

but one sinner destroys much good.

KJV 1900King James Version

There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

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