12. For even man does not know his time. Like fish taken in an evil net, and like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it come down on them suddenly.
13. Also this I saw as wisdom under the sun, and it is great to me:
14. A little city, and few men in it, and a great sovereign came against it, and besieged it, and built huge siege-works against it.
15. And there was found in it a poor wise man, and by his wisdom he delivered the city, yet no one remembered that poor man.
16. And I said, “Wisdom is better than might. But the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heard.”
17. The words of the wise, spoken calmly, should be heard rather than the shout of a ruler of fools.
18. Wisdom is better than weapons of conflict, but one sinner destroys much good.