"Better {is} a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. {who...: Heb. who know…" — Ecclesiastes 4:13

Ecclesiastes 4:13 · KJV

“Better {is} a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. {who...: Heb. who knoweth not to be admonished}”

— Ecclesiastes 4:13

Verse 12

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Verse 14

For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also {he that is} born in his kingdom becometh poor.

Ecclesiastes 4 — Context

Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm {alone}?

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Better {is} a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. {who...: Heb. who knoweth not to be admonished}

For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also {he that is} born in his kingdom becometh poor.

I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

Cross References

Proverbs 19:1

Better {is} the poor that walketh in his integrity, than {he that is} perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

2 Chronicles 25:16

And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that {the king} said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel. {determined: Heb. counselled}

Proverbs 28:15-16

{As} a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; {so is} a wicked ruler over the poor people.

2 Chronicles 16:9-10

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of {them} whose heart {is} perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. {to shew...: or, strongly to hold with them, etc}

1 Kings 22:8

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, {There is} yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

Ecclesiastes 9:15-16

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.

Proverbs 28:6

Better {is} the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than {he that is} perverse {in his} ways, though he {be} rich.

Genesis 37:2

These {are} the generations of Jacob. Joseph, {being} seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad {was} with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.