The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
Parallel translations
- WEB The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall.
- BSB A wise heart will receive commandments, but foolish lips will come to ruin.
- NKJV The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall.
- NASB The wise of heart will receive commands, But a babbling fool will come to ruin.
- NLT The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.
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 wise in heart receive commands, but a babbling fool comes to ruin. The wise take instruction; the foolish talk and fall.
Overview
Here the teachable, obedient heart of the wise is set against the prattling fool who will not listen. Receiving commands shows humility and readiness to obey, while empty chatter leads to downfall. The verse commends a quiet, obedient spirit, the kind of faith that hears Christ's words and acts on them (Matthew 7:24-27).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Matt 7:24–25Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
- Prov 12:1Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.
- Jas 3:13Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
- Ps 119:34Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
- Prov 9:9Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
- Prov 1:5A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
- Prov 13:3He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
- Eccl 10:12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
- Prov 18:6–7A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
- Prov 10:10He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.
- Prov 14:23In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
- Prov 12:13The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.
- Prov 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
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 10:8 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.