Ecclesiastes 9:18
New International Version
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

New Living Translation
Better to have wisdom than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

English Standard Version
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

Berean Standard Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

King James Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

New King James Version
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; But one sinner destroys much good.”

New American Standard Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

NASB 1995
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

NASB 1977
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

Legacy Standard Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

Amplified Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

Christian Standard Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much good.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much good.

American Standard Version
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Better is wisdom than instruments of war, and one sin destroys many good things

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: and one sinner will destroy much good.

Contemporary English Version
Wisdom is more powerful than weapons, yet one mistake can destroy all the good you have done.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Better is wisdom, than weapons of war: and he that shall offend in one, shall lose many good things.

English Revised Version
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

Good News Translation
Wisdom does more good than weapons, but one sinner can undo a lot of good.

International Standard Version
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, and a single sinner can destroy a lot of good.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; But one sinner destroyeth much good.

Literal Standard Version
Better [is] wisdom than weapons of conflict, | And one sinner destroys much good!

Majority Standard Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

New American Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one bungler destroys much good.

NET Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

New Revised Standard Version
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one bungler destroys much good.

New Heart English Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

World English Bible
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.

Young's Literal Translation
Better is wisdom than weapons of conflict, And one sinner destroyeth much good!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Wisdom is Better than Strength
17The calm words of the wise are heeded over the shouts of a ruler among fools. 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

Cross References
Joshua 7:1
The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites.

2 Kings 21:2
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

Ecclesiastes 2:13
And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:

Ecclesiastes 7:12
For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.

Ecclesiastes 9:16
And I said, "Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded."


Treasury of Scripture

Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroys much good.

better

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.

sinner

Joshua 7:1,5,11,12
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel…

Joshua 22:20
Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.

1 Samuel 14:28,29,36-46
Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint…

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Better Conflict Destroyeth Destroys Destruction Good Instruments Sinner War Weapons Wisdom
Ecclesiastes 9
1. like things happen to good and bad
4. there is a necessity of death unto men
7. Comfort is all their portion in this life
11. God's providence rules over all
13. wisdom is better than strength














Verse 18. - Wisdom is better than weapons of war. Such is the moral which Koheleth desires to draw from the little narrative given above (see vers. 14-16; and Ecclesiastes 7:19). Wisdom can do what no material force can effect, and often produces results which all the implements of war could not command. But one sinner destroyeth much good. The happy consequences which the wise man's counsel might accomplish, or has already accomplished, may be overthrown or rendered useless by the villany or perversity of a bad man. The Vulgate, reading differently, has, Qui in uno peccaverit, multa bona perdet. But this seems to be out of keeping with the context. Adam's sin infected the whole race of man; Achau's transgression caused Israel's defeat (Joshua 7:11, 12); Rehoboam's folly occasioned the great schism (1 Kings 12:16). The wide° reaching effects of one little error are illustrated by the proverbial saying which every one knows, and which runs in Latin thus: "Clavus unus perdit equi soleam, soles equum, equus equitem, eques castra, castro rempublicam."



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Wisdom
חָכְמָ֖ה (ḥāḵ·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2451: Wisdom

is better
טוֹבָ֥ה (ṭō·w·ḇāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

than weapons
מִכְּלֵ֣י (mik·kə·lê)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3627: Something prepared, any apparatus

of war,
קְרָ֑ב (qə·rāḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7128: Hostile encounter

but one
אֶחָ֔ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

sinner
וְחוֹטֶ֣א (wə·ḥō·w·ṭe)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

destroys
יְאַבֵּ֥ד (yə·’ab·bêḏ)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

much
הַרְבֵּֽה׃ (har·bêh)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great

good.
טוֹבָ֥ה (ṭō·w·ḇāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 9:17
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