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Ecclesiastes 9:14
There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.
Ecclesiastes 9:14 · World English Bible
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Ecclesiastes 9:14 in other translations
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:
There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it.
There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great siege works against it.
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In context
11 I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.
12 For man also doesn’t know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them.
13 I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.
14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.
15 Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
16 Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.
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