Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
- BSB Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
- NKJV Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
- NASB ¶Do not speak to be heard by a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
- NLT Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.
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
Do not waste wisdom on a fool, for he will only scorn your words.
Overview
A fool here is not merely unintelligent but morally resistant, despising correction and insight. Speaking wisdom to such a person yields contempt rather than change. Jesus gave similar counsel not to cast pearls before those who will only trample them (Matt. 7:6), teaching discernment in how truth is shared.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Prov 9:7–8He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.
- Matt 7:6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
- Prov 26:4–5Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
- Prov 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
- Acts 28:25–28And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
- Acts 13:45–46But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
- John 10:20And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
- Isa 36:21But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
- John 8:52Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
- 1 Cor 1:21–24For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
- Acts 17:32And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
- John 9:30–34The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
- Luke 16:14And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
- Acts 17:18Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
- John 9:40And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
- 1 Cor 4:10–13We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
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 23:9 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.