The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 4:13 Explained

Ecclesiastes 4:13

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

YLT: Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who hath not known to be warned any more.

Darby: Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Ecclesiastes 4:13 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 4

1  vanity is increased unto men by oppression
4  by envy
5  by idleness
7  by covetousness
9  by solitariness
13  by willfulness

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 4:13 mean?

Better a youth poor and wise Than king an old and foolish who no will be admonished more
ט֛וֹב יֶ֥לֶד מִסְכֵּ֖ן וְחָכָ֑ם מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ זָקֵן֙ וּכְסִ֔יל אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־ יָדַ֥ע לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר עֽוֹד

ט֛וֹב  Better 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
יֶ֥לֶד  a  youth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.
מִסְכֵּ֖ן  poor 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מִסְכֵּן  
Sense: poor, poor man.
וְחָכָ֑ם  and  wise 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ  Than  king 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
זָקֵן֙  an  old 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
וּכְסִ֔יל  and  foolish 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּסִיל  
Sense: fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one.
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר  be  admonished 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: זָהַר 
Sense: to admonish, warn, teach, shine, send out light, be light, be shining.
עֽוֹד  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.