(16.) Then said I (in opposition to ‘man,’ above), good is wisdom above might; and the wisdom of the poor (with the article) is despised, and his words (or reasonings, used still in the technical sense common to this book) are those which are not listened to.
17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
These words of the wise in a silence are heard:
More than the shriek of a ruler with fools.
(17.) Those words (repeated) of wise men in rest are heard (but notice בנחת is an ambiguous word,——see Job xxxvi. 16; the root נחת is to press down, and hence the equivoke. These words of the wise man in ‘a going down’ are those which are heard, i.e. in a ‘time of pressure,’ or in distress; ‘in quiet,’ is also a meaning, and a very good one, being that which expresses, without doubt, the main intent in the passage) above the cry (Genesis xviii. 20. Fuerst considers that צעק is an older form and זעק modern, yet both are used in Genesis xviii. 20, 21, but the references will be seen to support the idea that זעקה is the ‘cry of emotion,’ while צעקה is any ‘loud cry;’ if so, there is a special reason why it should be used in this place. Again, מזעקה might be a participle meaning a ‘cry of distress,’ thus giving force to the equivoke), of a ruler with the befooled.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.