Doing wrong is fun for a fool, but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible.
Parallel translations
- WEB It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness, but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.
- KJV It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.
- BSB The fool delights in shameful conduct, but a man of understanding has wisdom.
- ESV Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
- NKJV To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.
- NASB Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool, And so is wisdom to a person of understanding.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The fool delights in doing wickedness, but the discerning find pleasure in wisdom. Our delights reveal our character.
Overview
What a person enjoys exposes the heart: the fool takes pleasure in evil, while the wise delight in understanding. This contrast shows that sin and wisdom are not merely matters of action but of desire. The renewed heart, transformed by God's grace, learns to delight in what is good, as the psalmist delights in God's law (Psalm 1:2).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Prov 15:21Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding keeps his way straight.
- Prov 2:14who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil;
- Prov 14:9Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but among the upright there is good will.
- Prov 26:18–19Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
- Eccl 11:9Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 10:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.