Ecclesiastes 9:13-14

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Ecclesiastes 9:13-15 The Message (MSG)

One day as I was observing how wisdom fares on this earth, I saw something that made me sit up and take notice. 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.)

Ecclesiastes 9:13-14 King James Version (KJV)

This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me: 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

Ecclesiastes 9:13-14 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)

Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me. There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it.

Ecclesiastes 9:13-14 New Century Version (NCV)

I also saw something wise here on earth that impressed me. There was a small town with only a few people in it. A great king fought against it and put his armies all around it.

Ecclesiastes 9:13-14 American Standard Version (ASV)

I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me: 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.

Ecclesiastes 9:13-14 New International Version (NIV)

I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me: 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.

Ecclesiastes 9:13-14 New King James Version (NKJV)

This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me: There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around it.

Ecclesiastes 9:13-14 Amplified Bible (AMP)

This [illustration of] wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and great it was to me: There was a little city with few men in it and a great king came against it and besieged it and built great battlements against it.

Ecclesiastes 9:13-14 New Living Translation (NLT)

Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works. There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it.

Ecclesiastes 9:13-14 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. 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.