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22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,
    but the punishment of fools is their folly.

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22 Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it,
    but discipline is wasted on fools.

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12 Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man,
    rather than a fool in his folly.

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12 It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
    than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.

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A fool has no delight in understanding,
    but only in revealing his own opinion.

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Fools have no interest in understanding;
    they only want to air their own opinions.

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The foolishness of man subverts his way;
    his heart rages against Yahweh.

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People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
    and then are angry at the Lord.

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10 Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool,
    much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

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10 It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury
    or for a slave to rule over princes!

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11 When the mocker is punished, the simple gains wisdom.
    When the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

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11 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded become wise;
    if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser.

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Wisdom is too high for a fool.
    He doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.

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Wisdom is too lofty for fools.
    Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.

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13 My son, eat honey, for it is good,
    the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste;
14 so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul.
    If you have found it, then there will be a reward:
    Your hope will not be cut off.

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13 My child,[a] eat honey, for it is good,
    and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.
14 In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.
    If you find it, you will have a bright future,
    and your hopes will not be cut short.

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Footnotes

  1. 24:13 Hebrew My son; also in 24:21.

12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
    There is more hope for a fool than for him.

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12 There is more hope for fools
    than for people who think they are wise.

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25 One who is greedy stirs up strife;
    but one who trusts in Yahweh will prosper.
26 One who trusts in himself is a fool;
    but one who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

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25 Greed causes fighting;
    trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.

26 Those who trust their own insight are foolish,
    but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.

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11 A fool vents all of his anger,
    but a wise man brings himself under control.

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11 Fools vent their anger,
    but the wise quietly hold it back.

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20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
    There is more hope for a fool than for him.

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20 There is more hope for a fool
    than for someone who speaks without thinking.

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