Ecclesiastes 9:14-15
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 9:14-15 King James Version (KJV)
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: 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.
Ecclesiastes 9:14-15 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
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. But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
Ecclesiastes 9:14-15 New Century Version (NCV)
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. Now there was a poor but wise man in the town who used his wisdom to save his town. But later on, everyone forgot about him.
Ecclesiastes 9:14-15 American Standard Version (ASV)
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. 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.
Ecclesiastes 9:14-15 New International Version (NIV)
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. Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.
Ecclesiastes 9:14-15 New King James Version (NKJV)
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. Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.
Ecclesiastes 9:14-15 Amplified Bible (AMP)
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. But there was found in it a poor wise man, and by his wisdom he rescued the city. Yet no man [seriously] remembered that poor man.
Ecclesiastes 9:14-15 New Living Translation (NLT)
There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it. A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him.
Ecclesiastes 9:14-15 English Standard Version Revision 2016 (ESV)
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. But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.