Add parallel Print Page Options

(A)The fear of [a]Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge;
[b]Ignorant fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:7 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
  2. Proverbs 1:7 One who lacks wisdom due to negligence or carelessness; so in Prov

The Major Theme

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools despise wisdom and discipline.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:7 Or instruction

32 For the (A)turning away of the simple will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.

Read full chapter

32 Indeed, the waywardness[a] of the naïve will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:32 So MT; DSS 4QProva reads narrow-mindedness; lit. the pull of; LXX reads Because they would wrong the naïve, they will be murdered

35 (A)The wise will inherit glory,
But [a]fools raise up disgrace.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:35 Or He raises fools up in dishonor

35 The wise will inherit honor,
    but he holds fools up for ridicule.

Read full chapter

14 Wise men (A)store up knowledge,
But (B)the mouth of the ignorant fool draws ruin near.

Read full chapter

14 Those who are wise store up knowledge,
    but when the fool speaks,[a] destruction is near.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:14 Lit. but the mouth of the fool

21 The (A)lips of the righteous feed many,
But ignorant fools (B)die for lack of a heart of wisdom.

Read full chapter

21 What the righteous person says[a] nourishes many,
    but fools die because they lack discerning[b] hearts.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:21 Lit. The lips of the righteous
  2. Proverbs 10:21 The Heb. lacks discerning

23 Doing wickedness is like (A)laughing to a fool,
And so is wisdom to a man of discernment.

Read full chapter

23 Just as the fool considers wickedness his joy,
    so is wisdom to the discerning man.

Read full chapter

29 He who (A)troubles his own house will (B)inherit wind,
And (C)the ignorant fool will be a slave to the wise of heart.

Read full chapter

29 Whoever troubles his household will inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be a servant to the wise.

Read full chapter

In the mouth of the ignorant fool is a rod of lofty pride,
But (A)the lips of the wise will keep them.

Read full chapter

What a fool says brings[a] a rod to his back,
    but the words of the wise protect them.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:3 Lit. The mouth of the fool

The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But (A)the folly of fools is deceit.

Read full chapter

The wisdom of the prudent helps him know how to live,
    but a fool’s stupidity deceives him.

Read full chapter

Ignorant fools scoff at guilt,
But (A)among the upright there is favor.

Read full chapter

Fools make fun of guilt,
    but among the upright there are good intentions.

Read full chapter

16 A wise man fears and (A)turns away from evil,
But a fool gets angry and feels secure.

Read full chapter

16 The wise person fears and turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and overconfident.

Read full chapter

24 The (A)crown of the wise is their riches,
But the folly of fools is folly.

Read full chapter

24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the stupidity of fools is just that—stupidity!

Read full chapter