Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
Parallel translations
- KJV Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
- BSB And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
- NKJV Then I saw that wisdom excels folly As light excels darkness.
- NASB Then I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness as light surpasses darkness.
- NLT I thought, “Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Wisdom surpasses folly as light surpasses darkness. Wisdom has real and obvious value over foolishness.
Overview
The Preacher affirms a genuine, relative advantage of wisdom over folly, comparing it to light over darkness. This balances his sober conclusions, acknowledging that wise living is better than foolish living. Yet, as the next verses show, this advantage is qualified by death, which comes to wise and fool alike, pointing to the need for hope beyond the grave.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Eph 5:8For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
- Eccl 7:11–12Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
- Eccl 11:7Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the sun.
- Matt 6:23But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
- Ps 119:105Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.
- Luke 11:34–35The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of darkness.
- Mal 3:18Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn’t serve him.
- Ps 119:130The entrance of your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.
- Prov 4:5–7Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.
- Eccl 7:19Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
- Eccl 9:16Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
- Eccl 9:18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.
- Prov 4:18–19But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.
- Prov 16:16How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The search that finds everything 'under the sun' to be vapor exposes the emptiness of life without God and drives us to the one who alone gives meaning, the resurrection that makes our labor not in vain.
How Ecclesiastes 2:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.