He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.
Parallel translations
- WEB He who gives answer before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.
- KJV He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
- NKJV He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
- NASB One who gives an answer before he hears, It is foolishness and shame to him.
- NLT Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.
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
Answering before truly listening is foolish and shameful. Hasty replies that skip understanding bring disgrace.
Overview
This proverb rebukes the one who responds before he has heard, calling it folly and shame. It commends patient, attentive listening as the foundation of wise speech and fair judgment. James echoes the principle in urging believers to be quick to hear and slow to speak (James 1:19), a humble teachability that honors others and reflects the wisdom of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- John 7:51“Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”
- Deut 13:14then you must inquire, investigate, and interrogate thoroughly. And if it is established with certainty that this abomination has been committed among you,
- Prov 20:25It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.
- Job 29:16I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
- Esth 8:5–17“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if I have found favor in his sight, and the matter seems proper to the king, and I am pleasing in his sight, may an order be written to revoke the letters that the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces.
- Dan 6:9Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
- 2 Sam 16:4So the king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I humbly bow before you,” said Ziba. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king!”
- 2 Sam 19:24–30Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.
- Esth 3:10–15So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
- Dan 6:14As soon as the king heard this, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel, and he labored until sundown to rescue him.
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 18:13 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.