Lectionary Calendar
Monday, April 28th, 2025
the Second Week after Easter
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Brenton's Septuagint

Proverbs 18:2

A senseless man feels no need of wisdom, for he is rather led by folly.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Fool;   Thompson Chain Reference - Discernment-Dullness;   Folly;   Fools;   No;   Reason;   Understanding;   Wisdom-Folly;   The Topic Concordance - Foolishness;   Heart;   Understanding;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fools;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Tongue;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Discover;   Fool;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A fool does not delight in understanding,but only wants to show off his opinions.
Hebrew Names Version
A fool has no delight in understanding, But only in broadcasting his own opinion.
King James Version
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
English Standard Version
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
New American Standard Bible
A fool does not delight in understanding, But in revealing his own mind.
New Century Version
Fools do not want to understand anything. They only want to tell others what they think.
Amplified Bible
A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity].
World English Bible
A fool has no delight in understanding, But only in broadcasting his own opinion.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A foole hath no delite in vnderstanding: but that his heart may be discouered.
Legacy Standard Bible
A fool does not delight in discernment,But only in revealing his own heart.
Berean Standard Bible
A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions.
Contemporary English Version
Fools have no desire to learn; they would much rather give their own opinion.
Complete Jewish Bible
A fool takes no pleasure in trying to understand; he only wants to express his own opinion.
Darby Translation
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but only that his heart may reveal itself.
Easy-to-Read Version
Fools don't want to learn from others. They only want to tell their own ideas.
George Lamsa Translation
A fool has no delight in wisdom, because his mind devises folly.
Good News Translation
A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is.
Lexham English Bible
A fool will not take pleasure in understanding, but in expressing his heart.
Literal Translation
A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in uncovering his heart.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A foole hath no delyte in vnderstodinge, but only in those thinges wherin his herte reioyseth.
American Standard Version
A fool hath no delight in understanding, But only that his heart may reveal itself.
Bible in Basic English
A foolish man has no pleasure in good sense, but only to let what is in his heart come to light.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but only that his heart may lay itself bare.
King James Version (1611)
A foole hath no delight in vnderstanding, but that his heart may discouer it selfe.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
A foole hath no delight in vnderstanding: but onlye to vtter the fansies of his owne heart.
English Revised Version
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but only that his heart may reveal itself.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A fool resseyueth not the wordis of prudence; `no but thou seie tho thingis, that ben turned in his herte.
Update Bible Version
A fool has no delight in understanding, But only that his heart may reveal itself.
Webster's Bible Translation
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may reveal itself.
New English Translation
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in disclosing what is on his mind.
New King James Version
A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.
New Living Translation
Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.
New Life Bible
A fool does not find joy in understanding, but only in letting his own mind be known.
New Revised Standard
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing personal opinion.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A dullard, delighteth not, in understanding, in nothing save the exposing of his own heart.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A fool receiveth not the words of prudence: unless thou say those things which are in his heart.
Revised Standard Version
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
Young's Literal Translation
A fool delighteth not in understanding, But -- in uncovering his heart.
THE MESSAGE
Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse; all they do is run off at the mouth.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A fool does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his own mind.

Contextual Overview

2 A senseless man feels no need of wisdom, for he is rather led by folly.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

fool: Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 1:22, Proverbs 17:16, Psalms 1:1, Psalms 1:2, Matthew 8:34, 1 Corinthians 8:1

but: Numbers 24:15, Numbers 24:16, 1 Corinthians 14:12, Philippians 1:15, 2 Peter 2:15-19

Reciprocal: Psalms 90:12 - that Psalms 111:2 - that have Proverbs 2:10 - General Proverbs 8:9 - General Proverbs 14:6 - scorner Ecclesiastes 10:3 - and he Matthew 13:19 - and understandeth John 7:4 - there Romans 1:31 - Without understanding

Cross-References

Genesis 18:3
And he said, Lord, if indeed I have found grace in thy sight, pass not by thy servant.
Genesis 18:6
And Abraam hasted to the tent to Sarrha, and said to her, Hasten, and knead three measures of fine flour, and make cakes.
Genesis 18:7
And Abraam ran to the kine, and took a young calf, tender and good, and gave it to his servant, and he hasted to dress it.
Genesis 18:11
And Abraam and Sarrha were old, advanced in days, and the custom of women ceased with Sarrha.
Genesis 18:16
And the men having risen up from thence looked towards Sodom and Gomorrha. And Abraam went with them, attending them on their journey.
Genesis 19:1
And the two angels came to Sodom at evening. And Lot sat by the gate of Sodom, and Lot having seen them, rose up to meet them, and he worshipped with his face to the ground, and said,
Genesis 23:7
And Abraam rose up and did obeisance to the people of the land, to the sons of Chet.
Genesis 32:24
And Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him till the morning.
Genesis 43:26
And Joseph entered into the house, and they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands, into the house; and they did him reverence with their face to the ground.
Genesis 43:28
And they said, Thy servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And he said, Blessed be that man by God; —and they bowed, and did him reverence.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A fool hath no delight in understanding,.... In natural understanding, and in the improvement of his mind in it; he delights not in books, nor in the conversation of men of learning and sense: or in spiritual understanding, in the understanding of spiritual things; these are foolishness to a natural man; nor does he delight in reading the Scriptures, nor in hearing the word, and attendance on it in the house of God, but is weary of such exercises;

but that his heart may discover itself; and the folly that is in it: such men only desire to have some knowledge and understanding, to make a show of it, that they may be thought to be wise, and to be capable of talking of things as if they understood them, when it is only to the exposing of themselves and their ignorance; some persons attain to no more learning and knowledge than just to be capable to show that they are fools. Or, "but in the discovery of his heart" k; he delights in discovering that; not the wisdom, but the folly that is in it.

k כי אם בהתגלות לבו "sed in patefacere cor ejus", Vatablus; "sed in detectione cordis sui", Piscator; "sed sane ut enudet cor suum", Schultens.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Another form of egotism. In “understanding,” i. e., self-knowledge, the “fool” finds no pleasure; but self-assertion, talking about himself and his own opinions, is his highest joy.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 18:2. But that his heart may discover itself. — It is a fact that most vain and foolish people are never satisfied in company, but in showing their own nonsense and emptiness. But this verse may be understood as confirming the view already given of the preceding, and may be translated thus: "But a fool doth not delight in understanding, though it should even manifest itself:" so I understand כי אם בהתגלות ki im behithgalloth. The separated person seeks understanding in every hidden thing, and feels his toil well repaid when he finds it, even after the most painful and expensive search: the other regards it not, though its secret springs should be laid open to him without toil or expense.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile