A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
Parallel translations
- WEB A wise man fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.
- BSB A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless.
- ESV One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.
- NKJV A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident.
- NASB A wise person is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.
- NLT The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.
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 wise fear God and avoid evil, but the fool is reckless and overconfident. Healthy caution marks the wise.
Overview
The wise person, sobered by reverence, turns away from evil, while the fool plunges ahead with hot-headed presumption. The 'fear' here is reverent caution rooted in the fear of the LORD, which produces moral carefulness. This restraint reflects the wisdom that flees temptation rather than flirting with it (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 22
- Prov 22:3A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
- Prov 3:7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
- 1 Th 5:22Abstain from all appearance of evil.
- Prov 29:9If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.
- Gen 42:18And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
- 1 Kgs 20:10–11And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
- Gen 33:9And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
- Job 31:21–23If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
- Prov 16:6By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
- Prov 16:17The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
- Prov 28:14Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
- Ps 119:120My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.
- 1 Kgs 20:18And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
- Mark 6:17–19For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her.
- 1 Kgs 19:2Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
- Prov 7:22He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
- Mark 6:24–25And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
- John 9:40And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
- Job 28:28And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
- Eccl 10:13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
- Ps 34:14Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
- Neh 5:15But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
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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 14:16 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
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