The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 9:18 Explained

Ecclesiastes 9:18

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

YLT: Better is wisdom than weapons of conflict, And one sinner destroyeth much good!

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Ecclesiastes 9:18 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 9

1  like things happen to good and bad
4  there is a necessity of death unto men
7  Comfort is all their portion in this life
11  God's providence rules over all
13  wisdom is better than strength

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 9:18 mean?

[is] better Wisdom than weapons of war but sinner one destroys good much
טוֹבָ֥ה חָכְמָ֖ה מִכְּלֵ֣י קְרָ֑ב וְחוֹטֶ֣א אֶחָ֔ד יְאַבֵּ֥ד טוֹבָ֥ה הַרְבֵּֽה

טוֹבָ֥ה  [is]  better 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
חָכְמָ֖ה  Wisdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
מִכְּלֵ֣י  than  weapons 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
קְרָ֑ב  of  war 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קְרָב  
Sense: battle, war.
וְחוֹטֶ֣א  but  sinner 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
אֶחָ֔ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
יְאַבֵּ֥ד  destroys 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
טוֹבָ֥ה  good 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
הַרְבֵּֽה  much 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.