Translation
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
Wisdom can accomplish more than violence, but all it takes is one person heading in the wrong direction to undo all the good done by wisdom.
Footnotes
1
In the example of the poor wise man, it should have worked out differently; he should have been honored and listened to. But all it took was people, maybe even just one person, if it was an influential person, disparaging him because he was poor. The principle stated in this verse can apply to many situations.