Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
Parallel translations
- WEB Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- BSB Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- NKJV Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- NASB Do you see a person wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- NLT There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.
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
There is more hope for a fool than for someone wise in his own eyes. Self-conceit is worse than open folly.
Overview
This climactic verse of the fool section warns that pride which presumes its own wisdom is the most hopeless condition of all, since it cannot be taught. Such self-deception resists the very correction that brings life (Prov 3:7; Rom 12:16). The gospel calls instead for humble dependence on God's wisdom rather than our own (1 Cor 1:18-25).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 1 Cor 3:18–19Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
- Prov 29:20Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
- Prov 26:5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
- Prov 28:11The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
- Rom 12:16Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
- Rev 3:17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
- Luke 18:11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
- Prov 3:7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
- Matt 21:31Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
- Prov 26:16The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
- Luke 7:44And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
- Prov 22:29Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
- 2 Cor 8:1–2Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 26:12 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.