Pengkhotbah 9:15-18

9:15 However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, ¹ 

and he could have delivered ²  the city by his wisdom,

but no one listened ³  to that poor man.

9:16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, ⁴ 

but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens ⁵  to his advice. ⁶ 

Wisdom versus Fools, Sin, and Folly

9:17 The words of the wise are heard in quiet,

more than the shouting of a ruler is heard ⁷  among fools.

9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,

but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

Pengkhotbah 10:10

10:10 If an iron axhead ⁸  is blunt and a workman ⁹  does not sharpen ¹⁰  its edge, ¹¹ 

he must exert a great deal of effort; ¹² 

so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

[9:15]  ¹ tn Heb “was found in it”; the referent (the city) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:15]  ² tn Or “he delivered.” The verb וּמִלַּט (umillat, from מָלַט, malat, “to deliver”) is functioning either in an indicative sense (past definite action: “he delivered”) or in a modal sense (past potential: “he could have delivered”). The literal meaning of זָכַר (zakhar, “to remember”) in the following line harmonizes with the indicative: “but no one remembered that poor man [afterward].” However, the modal is supported by v. 16: “A poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.” This approach must nuance זָכַר (“to remember”) as “[no one] listened to [that poor man].” Most translations favor the indicative approach: “he delivered” or “he saved” (KJV, RSV, NRSV, NAB, ASV, NASB, MLB, NIV); however, some adopt the modal nuance: “he might have saved” (NEB, NJPS, NASB margin).

[9:15]  ³ tn Heb “remembered.”

[9:16]  ⁴ tn Or “power.”

[9:16]  ⁵ tn The participle form נִשְׁמָעִים (nishma’im, Niphal participle mpl from שָׁמַע, “to listen”) is used verbally to emphasize a continual, durative, gnomic action.

[9:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “his words are never listened to.”

[9:17]  ⁷ tn The phrase “is heard” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness. Note its appearance in the previous line.

[10:10]  ⁸ tn The term “ax head” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity. The preceding noun “iron” functions as a metonymy of material (i.e., iron) for the object with which it is associated (i.e., ax head).

[10:10]  ⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the workman) is implied, and has been specified in the translation for clarity

[10:10]  ¹⁰ tn The verb קלל in the Pilpel means “to sharpen; to make a blade sharp” (HALOT 1104 s.v. קלל 1).This denominative verb is derived from the rare noun II קָלַל “smooth; shiny” (referring to bronze; Ezek 1:7; Dan 10:6; HALOT 1105 s.v.). Sharpening the blade or head of a bronze ax will make it smooth and shiny. It is not derived from I קָלַל (qalal) “to treat light” or the noun I קְלָלָה (qÿlalah) “curse.” Nor is it related to I קָלַל “to shake” (Ezek 21:26); cf. HALOT 1104. BDB 886 s.v. קָלַל 2 erroneously relates it to I קָלַל, suggesting “to whet” or “to move quickly to and fro.”

[10:10]  ¹¹ tn Heb “face.”

[10:10]  ¹² tn Heb “strength.” The term וַחֲיָלִים (vakhayalim, conjunction + plural noun from חַיִל, khayil, “strength; efficiency”) is an example of a plural of intensification (GKC 397-98 §124.e). The point is that it is a waste of a great deal of strength and energy. If a person is not smart, he will have to use a lot of energy and waste his efficiency.