The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.
Parallel translations
- WEB The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall.
- KJV The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall 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.
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 7:24–25“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.
- Prov 12:1Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
- Jas 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
- Ps 119:34Give me understanding, and I will keep your law. Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.
- Prov 9:9Instruct a wise man, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
- Prov 1:5that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:
- Prov 13:3He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
- Eccl 10:12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
- Prov 18:6–7A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.
- Prov 10:10One winking with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall.
- Prov 14:23In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.
- Prov 12:13An evil man is trapped by sinfulness of lips, but the righteous shall come out of trouble.
- Prov 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to think about 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.