Ecclesiastes 2 · Verse 13

Ecclesiastes 2:13

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
Ecclesiastes 2:13, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 2:13 in other translations

BSBAnd I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
WEBThen I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
ASVThen I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
YLTAnd I saw that there is an advantage to wisdom above folly, like the advantage of the light above the darkness.
DARBYAnd I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness.
BBEThen I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways--as the light is better than the dark.
WebsterThen I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

What does Ecclesiastes 2:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ecclesiastes 2:13-14
13-14. (Pr 17:24). The worldly "wise" man has good sense in managing his affairs, skill and taste in building and planting, and keeps within safe and respectable bounds in pleasure, while the "fool" is wanting in these respects ("darkness," equivalent to fatal error, blind infatuation), yet one event, death, happens to both (Job 21:26).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly - Though in none of these pursuits I found the supreme good, the happiness my soul longed after; yet I could easily perceive that wisdom excelled the others, as far as light excels darkness. And he immediately subjoins the reasons.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

Solomon found that knowledge and prudence were preferable to ignorance and folly, though human wisdom and knowledge will not make a man happy. The most learned of men, who dies a stranger to Christ Jesus, will perish equally with the most ignorant; and what good can commendations on earth do to the body in the grave, or the soul in hell? And the spirits of just men made perfect cannot want them. So that if this were…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 2:12-17 →

Ecclesiastes 2:13 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְרָאִ֣יתִיve.ra.'I.tiand I sawH7200
אָ֔נִי'A.niIH589
שֶׁיֵּ֥שׁshei.Yeshthat thereH3426
יִתְר֛וֹןyit.Ron[is] advantageH3504
לַֽחָכְמָ֖הla.cha.khe.Mahof <the> wisdomH2451
מִן\־min-more thanH4480
הַסִּכְל֑וּתha.sikh.Lut<the> follyH5531
כִּֽיתְר֥וֹןkit.Ronlike [the] advantage ofH3504
הָא֖וֹרha.'Or<the> lightH216
מִן\־min-more thanH4480
הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ\׃ha.Cho.shekh<the> darknessH2822

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 2:13

  • Ephesians 5:8

    For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

  • Ecclesiastes 7:11-12

    Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

  • Matthew 6:23

    But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

  • Ecclesiastes 11:7

    Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

  • Malachi 3:18-4:2

    Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

  • Luke 11:34-35

    The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.

  • Psalms 119:105

    נ NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

  • Psalms 119:130

    The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:16

    Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

  • Proverbs 4:5-7

    Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:18

    Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

  • Ecclesiastes 7:19

    Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I saw.
7:11,12; 9:16; Pr 4:5-7; 16:16; Mal 3:18; 4:1,2
that wisdom excelleth folly. Heb. that there is anexcellency in wisdom more than in folly, etc. light.
11:7; Ps 119:105,130; Pr 4:18,19; Mt 6:23; Lu 11:34,35; Eph 5:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 2:12

    And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:13

    Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:14

    The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes 2:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y he visto que la sabiduría sobrepuja á la necedad, como la luz á las tinieblas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et j’ai vu que la sagesse a un avantage sur la folie, comme la lumière a un avantage sur les ténèbres.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ich sah, daß die Weisheit den Vorzug hat vor der Torheit, gleich dem Vorzuge des Lichtes vor der Finsternis:
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et vidi quod tantum præcederet sapientia stultitiam, quantum differt lux a tenebris.