The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 9:15 Explained

Ecclesiastes 9:15

KJV: Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

YLT: and there hath been found in it a poor wise man, and he hath delivered the city by his wisdom, and men have not remembered that poor man!

Darby: and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.

ASV: Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now there was found  in it a poor  wise  man,  and he by his wisdom  delivered  the city;  yet no man  remembered  that same poor  man. 

What does Ecclesiastes 9:15 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 9:15 mean?

And there was found in it a man poor wise and delivered he - the city by his wisdom and yet one no remembered man poor that
וּמָ֣צָא בָ֗הּ אִ֤ישׁ מִסְכֵּן֙ חָכָ֔ם וּמִלַּט־ ה֥וּא אֶת־ הָעִ֖יר בְּחָכְמָת֑וֹ וְאָדָם֙ לֹ֣א זָכַ֔ר הָאִ֥ישׁ הַמִּסְכֵּ֖ן הַהּֽוּא‪‬‪‬

וּמָ֣צָא  And  there  was  found 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
בָ֗הּ  in  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
אִ֤ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִסְכֵּן֙  poor 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מִסְכֵּן  
Sense: poor, poor man.
חָכָ֔ם  wise 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
וּמִלַּט־  and  delivered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַט 
Sense: to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעִ֖יר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
בְּחָכְמָת֑וֹ  by  his  wisdom 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
וְאָדָם֙  and  yet  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
לֹ֣א  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
זָכַ֔ר  remembered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
הָאִ֥ישׁ  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הַמִּסְכֵּ֖ן  poor 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מִסְכֵּן  
Sense: poor, poor man.
הַהּֽוּא‪‬‪‬  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.