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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ecclesiastes 9:17

The words of wise men are heard in quiet The thought is like that of the "great cry and little wool" of the English proverb. That which tells on men, in the long run, is the wisdom whose words are wary, and calm, and few, not the declamation of the wind-bags of popular oratory. Comp. the description of the highest type of wisdom in Isaiah 42:2; Matthew 12:19. He that "ruleth among fools" is not the foolish ruler, but the man who takes the highest place in the company of fools, and graduates, as it were, as the Senior Wrangler in that class-list. Such an one is as the "prating fool" of Proverbs 10:10.

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See also Ecclesiastes 9:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 17. _THE WORDS OF WISE_ MEN ARE _HEARD IN QUIET_] In the tumult of war the words of _Archimedes_ were not heard; and his _life_ was lost....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. PRAISE OF WISDOM AND PHILOSOPHY, THEFINAL WORD AND THE GREAT CONCLUSION CHAPTER 9:13-18 Before he had declared that wisdom is strength. He comes back to this statement and gives an illustration o...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    FOOLS. fat, inert. Hebrew. _kesil._ See note on Proverbs 1:7....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE WORDS OF WISE MEN ARE HEARD IN QUIET— _The words of wise men are more minded among people of a sedate disposition, than the cry of war raised by a man in authority among the inconstant multitude._...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    6. Wisdom is declared to be the greatest guide in our work. Ecclesiastes 9:13-18 TEXT 9:13-18 13 Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me. 14 There was a small city wi...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. THE WORDS OF WISE (MEN ARE) HEARD IN QUIET. So the Lord Jesus did "not cry, nor lift, up, nor cause His vo...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    LIVE WORTHILY WHILE YOU MAY 1-3. The future is in God's hands. Good and bad alike must die....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ARE HEARD IN QUIET] RV'spoken in quiet are heard.' There are times when men's voices are hushed to listen to wise counsel....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE TEACHER SEARCHES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIVES BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 9 EVERYONE MUST DIE AT SOME TIME – ECCLESIASTES 9:1-10...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים בְּ נַ֖חַת נִשְׁמָעִ֑ים מִ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE CHIEF GOOD NOT TO BE FOUND IN WISDOM: Ecclesiastes 8:16; Ecclesiastes 9:1 1. The Preacher commences this section by carefully defining his position and equipment as he starts on his final course...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    NOR IN DEVOTION TO AFFAIRS AND ITS REWARDS. Ecclesiastes 9:13; Ecclesiastes 10:1 So far, then, Coheleth has been occupied in retracing the argument of the first Section of the Book. Now he returns up...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In view of the evidences of the truth of the affirmation, "vanity... all is vanity," the preacher now turns to its effect on the mind of the man living "under the sun." He extols this worldly wisdom,...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER IX. _ Fools. Though the wise often meet with contempt, it is only among fools, who form the majority. (Calmet) --- Vain declaimers in the Church shew their own folly, as well as that of their...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. (17) The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ru...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE SAVIOUR OF THE CITY_ ‘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,’ etc. Ecclesiastes 9:14 I. T...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 1 THROUGH 12. The Book of Ecclesiastes is, up to a certain point, the converse of the Book of Proverbs. (see NOTE TO PROVERBS below) It is the experience of a...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THE WORDS OF WISE [MEN ARE] HEARD IN QUIET,.... That is, by some persons and at some times, though not by all persons and always; or they are to be heard, or should be heard, though they seldom be, ev...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    The words of wise [men are] heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Ver. 17. _The words of wise men are heard in quiet._] The submissive words of a poor man speaking with goo...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The words of wise men_ Though poor; _are heard in quiet_ Are uttered with a modest and low voice, and are, or should be, _heard_ by wise men; _more than the cry_ The clamorous and senseless discourse...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools, the superiority of wisdom being established in spite of the fact that it is often neglected, for those who gi...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    WISDOM STILL TO BE SOUGHT...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "THE WORDS OF THE WISE HEARD IN QUIETNESS ARE BETTER THAN THE SHOUTING OF. RULER AMONG FOOLS." The teaching of wise men appeal by virtue of their content, not by their volume. The words of any wise in...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    13-18 A man may, by his wisdom, bring to pass that which he could never do by his strength. If God be for us, who can be against us, or stand before us? Solomon observes the power of wisdom, though i...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    WISE MEN, though poor, as may be gathered both from the foregoing relation, and because he is opposed to the _ruling fool_ in the next clause, _are heard_, to wit, by wise men; or _should be heard_, a...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ecclesiastes 9:17 Words H1697 wise H2450 quietly H5183 heard H8085 (H8737) shout H2201 ruler H4910 (H8802)

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CHAPTER 9 THE SAME THINGS HAPPEN TO ALL WHETHER THEY BE RIGHTEOUS, WISE OR SONS OF MEN. AND IN THE END ALL DIE IN THE SAME WAY. SO LET THE RIGHTEOUS LIVE LIFE AS THEY MAY AND ENJOY IT FOR GOD HAS ACCE...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 9:14 I. The little city. At first sight it may seem rather paradoxical to compare this great world of ours, with its almost innumerable inhabitants, its vast area, its enormous resources,...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 8:16-10 I. At the end of chap. viii. and the beginning of chap. ix., Koheleth points out that it is impossible for us to construct a satisfactory policy of life. "The work of God," or, as...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The universality of death and the need of minding the business of life and using wisdom. CHARACTERS: God, Solomon. CONCLUSION: While there is life there is opportunity of preparing for dea...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ecclesiastes 9:5. _The dead know not any thing._ This is explained by the next phrase, _the memory of them is forgotten._ Elijah went up to heaven, or paradise, as the Jews will have it. John 3:13. Si...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _There was a little city, and few men within it._ THE LITTLE CITY AND THE POOR WISE MAN The little city, as first introduced to our notice, is in sore straits. The legion of the foe seem innumerable,...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The words of wise men are heard in quiet._ THE SUPERIORITY OF MORAL TO MILITARY FORCE “The words of wise men are heard in quiet”: words of thoughtfulness and conviction, silently dropping from the...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON ECCLESIASTES 9:13 Wisdom can achieve much good and is worth pursuing. Yet its benefits can be undone by evil. ⇐...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON ECCLESIASTES 9:17 Just as one wise man can successfully overcome the worst odds, so also ONE SINNER DESTROYS MUCH GOOD....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— ECCLESIASTES 9:13. THIS WISDOM.] The special instance of the power of wisdom related in the next verse. ECCLESIASTES 9:14. FEW MEN WITHIN IT.] Not a city with a scanty population, b...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ECCLESIASTES 9:1 One fate happens to all, and the dead are cut off from all the feelings and interests of life in the upper world. ECCLESIASTES 9:1 This continues the subject treated abo...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knows either love or hatred by all that is before them...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 7:3; Genesis 41:33; Isaiah 42:2; Isaiah 42:4; James 1:20;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Of wise men — Though poor. In quiet — Uttered with a modest and low voice. The cry — The clamorous discourses of a rich and potent, but foolish man....

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