This is the first of two “better” sayings that begin this section. It may appear as though this verse and verse 16 are close in meaning. In terms of content we note that, whereas verse 16 spoke of people not valuing what the wise teacher said, here Qoheleth argues for the need to take such teaching to heart.

The form or structure of the saying is interesting. In the first half we note the subject “sayings of wise men,” plus an adverbial phrase “in quiet,” followed by the passive participle “heard.” The second half of the saying balances the first with “shout of a ruler,” plus the adverbial phrase “among fools.” Thus the participle “heard” serves both halves of the verse. The word “better” is actually not present in the Hebrew text but is implied, as happens also in 5.1 and 7.1b.

The words of the wise is a reference to the teaching or advice that the wise person gave. Though using the definite article, the English sense is actually general, not referring to a particular person. The Hebrew lacks the definite article, and so it is more strictly correct to say “wise people’s words,” making it obviously more general and universal. This also contrasts with the particular reference of verse 16. Words describes the advice that the wise teacher gives, so we can use the terms “advice,” “teachings,” or “instruction.” The wise has a collective sense, representing the Hebrew plural “wise men.” In translating this we can say “what wise men teach,” “the instruction given by wise men,” “the advice of the sages.”

Heard in quiet: on the basic meaning of “hear,” see comments on “listen” in 5.1 and on “heeded” in verse 16. Rendering the passive by an active is always acceptable if the translator’s language so demands. The adverbial phrase in quiet modifies the verb “hear,” describing how the person pays attention to what the wise person teaches. However, the Jewish scribes who were responsible for preserving and copying the Hebrew text linked the adverb with “words of the wise,” giving the sense that this is how their words were spoken. Many translations follow this logic, but to do so they must add a verb like “speak” to show that the adverb describes how the sage speaks. Our translation can be “instruction given quietly by a wise man,” or “the advice of a sage spoken calmly,” or “advice that the sage calmly offers.” Yet another possibility is to turn the adverb in quiet into an adjective as Good News Translation does: “to listen to the quiet words of a wise man.”

Are better than: though lacking the Hebrew word “better”, it is obvious from the form that this is a “better” saying. Again we may ask about the meaning of the term “better” here. The context suggests meanings like “more useful,” “more valid,” “more valuable.”

Comparing the following translations, we can see that there is a further problem for the interpreter:
“It is better to listen to the quiet words … than to the shouts…” (Good News Translation).
“The gentle words of the wise are heard above…” (Jerusalem Bible).
“The calm words of the wise make themselves heard above the shouts…” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Good News Translation says that obeying the wise person’s instructions is the better thing to do. In Jerusalem Bible and New Jerusalem Bible it seems as though the words of the wise will be heard more easily than the king’s loud shout. Judging from the pattern of use of the “better” sayings throughout, we conclude that the Good News Translation interpretation is the correct one. However, there are some scholars who advocate the second view. Qoheleth uses the “better” sayings to set forward clear priorities to be followed, usually giving the first element positive value and the second no value at all. Therefore he is doing far more than stating that one person can be heard more clearly than the other; he is saying that, in the circumstances described here, people should obey the wise person and disregard what the king says, despite his being a king—only the wise person’s comments are worth listening to.

The following are possibilities for translation:

• It is more useful to accept the calm advice of the sages than….

• A wise man who speaks his mind calmly is to be listened to more than … (New English Bible).

• It is better to heed what the wise man says quietly.

The shouting of a ruler among fools is the second part of the comparison, which is generally given negative value by Qoheleth. The shouting of a ruler contrasts with the words of the wise. When Qoheleth mentions the king’s shouting, it may simply be in contrast to the words of the wise man that are spoken quietly. However, the Hebrew word can be used to express an anguished cry for help, so this could be the meaning in view. The term ruler refers to a person with authority over others and is broader in meaning than the word “king,” which is the suggestion of Jerusalem Bible. New English Bible and Revised English Bible suggest “commander,” but this can be misunderstood as only a military person. A leader who calls for help from fools is obviously no leader. He contrasts sharply with the wise, whose advice is worth hearing. “Ruler,” “chief,” or “governor” may be acceptable terms here.

In Hebrew the meaning of among fools is not immediately clear. In structure it is parallel to in quiet (both start with the preposition b-). But while the first phrase seems to tell how the words were spoken (“quietly”), this second one seems to indicate to whom the words are spoken (“to fools”). Some interpreters take the phrase “king of fools” to be a superlative, meaning the most foolish person, but this is rather forced. “At a council of fools” (Good News Translation) likewise seems an unnecessary expansion. We can simply follow Revised Standard Version or, if we think the king was calling for help, we can adopt one of the following:

• … than a ruler’s call for help among [from] fools.

• … than to a ruler who calls to fools for help.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Ecclesiates. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .