Ecclesiastes 2:13

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

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

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

BSB

And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:

KJV

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

ASV

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

BBE

Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways--as the light is better than the dark.

Original Hebrew

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The early church

And what is the use of understanding, thou wilt say, to the poor man? As might be expected thou art ignorant; for neither doth the blind man know what is the advantage of light. Listen to Solomon, saying, "As far as light excelleth darkness, so doth wisdom excel folly." But how shall we instruct him that is in darkness? For the love of money is darkness, permitting nothing that is to appear as it is, but otherwise. For much as one in darkness, though he should see a golden vessel, though a precious stone, though purple garments, supposes them to be nothing, for he sees not their beauty; so also he that is in covetousness, knows not as he ought the beauty of those things that are worthy of our care. Disperse then I pray thee the mist that arises from this passion, and then wilt thou see the nature of things. But nowhere do these things so plainly appear as in poverty, nowhere are those things so disproved which seem to be, and are not, as in self-denial.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Matthew

Cross-references

15

Topics

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.