A poor yet wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction and counsel (friendly reproof, warning)

Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.

A poor youngster with some wisdom is better off than an old but foolish king who doesn’t know which end is up. I saw a youth just like this start with nothing and go from rags to riches, and I saw everyone rally to the rule of this young successor to the king. Even so, the excitement died quickly, the throngs of people soon lost interest. Can’t you see it’s only smoke? And spitting into the wind?

A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction.

It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice.

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

A poor but wise boy is better than a foolish but old king who doesn’t listen to advice.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.

Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.