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Contemporary English Version

Proverbs 20:3

It makes you look good when you avoid a fight— only fools love to quarrel.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adjudication at Law;   Busybody;   Fool;   Meekness;   Peace;   Strife;   Thompson Chain Reference - Fools;   Strife;   Unity-Strife;   Wisdom-Folly;   The Topic Concordance - Foolishness;   Strife;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Busy-Bodies;   Fools;   Strife;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Glory;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Fool;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Fool;   Quarrel;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Honor belongs to the person who ends a dispute,but any fool can get himself into a quarrel.
Hebrew Names Version
It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; But every fool will be quarreling.
King James Version
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
English Standard Version
It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
New American Standard Bible
Avoiding strife is an honor for a person, But any fool will quarrel.
New Century Version
Foolish people are always fighting, but avoiding quarrels will bring you honor.
Amplified Bible
It is an honor for a man to keep away from strife [by handling situations with thoughtful foresight], But any fool will [start a] quarrel [without regard for the consequences].
World English Bible
It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; But every fool will be quarreling.
Geneva Bible (1587)
It is a mans honour to cease from strife: but euery foole will be medling.
Legacy Standard Bible
It is a glory for a man to cease quarreling,But any ignorant fool will break out in dispute.
Berean Standard Bible
It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.
Complete Jewish Bible
Avoiding quarrels brings a person honor; for any fool can explode in anger.
Darby Translation
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife; but every fool rusheth into it.
Easy-to-Read Version
People who refuse to argue deserve respect. Any fool can start an argument.
George Lamsa Translation
It is an honor for a man to cease from strife; but every fool will delight in it.
Good News Translation
Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them.
Lexham English Bible
It is honorable for the man to refrain from strife, but every fool will be quick to quarrel.
Literal Translation
For a man to cease from strife is an honor, but every fool exposes himself.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
It is a mans honoure to kepe himself from strife, but they yt haue pleasure in braulinge, are fooles eueryone.
American Standard Version
It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; But every fool will be quarrelling.
Bible in Basic English
It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be snarling.
King James Version (1611)
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but euery foole will be medling.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
It is a mans honour to kepe him selfe from strife: but euery foole wyll be medling.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
It is a glory to a man to turn aside from railing; but every fool is entangled with such matters.
English Revised Version
It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife: but every fool will be quarrelling.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
It is onour to a man that departith hym silf fro stryuyngis; but fonned men ben medlid with dispisyngis.
Update Bible Version
It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; But every fool will be quarrelling.
Webster's Bible Translation
[It is] an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
New English Translation
It is an honor for a person to cease from strife, but every fool quarrels.
New King James Version
It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.
New Living Translation
Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.
New Life Bible
It is an honor for a man to keep away from fighting, but any fool will argue.
New Revised Standard
It is honorable to refrain from strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Honour, hath the man who sitteth away from strife, but, any fool, may break through.
Douay-Rheims Bible
It is an honour for a man to separate himself from quarrels: but all fools are meddling with reproaches.
Revised Standard Version
It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be quarreling.
Young's Literal Translation
An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
THE MESSAGE
It's a mark of good character to avert quarrels, but fools love to pick fights.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, But any fool will quarrel.

Contextual Overview

3 It makes you look good when you avoid a fight— only fools love to quarrel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

an: Proverbs 14:29, Proverbs 16:32, Proverbs 17:14, Proverbs 19:11, Proverbs 25:8-10, Ephesians 1:6-8, Ephesians 4:32, Ephesians 5:1

but: Proverbs 14:17, Proverbs 18:6, Proverbs 21:24, 2 Kings 14:9, James 3:14, James 4:1

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 14:10 - why shouldest 2 Chronicles 25:17 - let us see 2 Chronicles 25:19 - why shouldest Proverbs 18:1 - intermeddleth Proverbs 26:17 - passeth

Cross-References

Genesis 20:1
Abraham moved to the Southern Desert, where he settled between Kadesh and Shur. Later he went to Gerar, and while there
Genesis 20:7
Her husband is a prophet. Let her go back to him, and his prayers will save you from death. But if you don't return her, you and all your people will die.
Genesis 20:12
Besides, she is my half sister. We have the same father, but different mothers.
Genesis 20:13
When God made us leave my father's home and start wandering, I told her, "If you really love me, you will tell everyone that I am your brother."
Genesis 20:14
Abimelech gave Abraham some sheep, cattle, and slaves. He sent Sarah back
Genesis 20:15
and told Abraham that he could settle anywhere in his country.
Genesis 28:12
In a dream he saw a ladder that reached from earth to heaven, and God's angels were going up and down on it.
Genesis 31:24
But God appeared to Laban in a dream that night and warned, "Don't say a word to Jacob. Don't make a threat or a promise."
Genesis 37:5
One day, Joseph told his brothers what he had dreamed, and they hated him even more.
Genesis 37:9
Joseph later had another dream, and he told his brothers, "Listen to what else I dreamed. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowed down to me."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

[It is] an honour for a man to cease from strife,.... As Abraham did, Genesis 13:7; when engaged in a quarrel with his neighbour, or in a lawsuit, or in a religious controversy, especially when he finds he is in the wrong; and indeed, if he is in the right, when he perceives it is like to issue in no good, and is only about words to no profit, it is an honour to drop it;

but every fool will be meddling; with things he has no concern in, or is not equal to; yet will carry on the debate, though it is to his disgrace; see Proverbs 17:14.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Meddling - See Proverbs 17:14 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 20:3. It is an honour for a man — The same sentiment as Proverbs 19:11.


 
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