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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Proverbs 13:16

Sensible people always think before they act, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Prudence;   Wisdom;   Thompson Chain Reference - Prudence;   Prudence-Rashness;   The Topic Concordance - Folly;   Foolishness;   Knowledge;   Prudence;  

Dictionaries:

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

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Fool;   Prudence;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Folly and Fool;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Every sensible person acts knowledgeably,but a fool displays his stupidity.
Hebrew Names Version
Every prudent man acts from knowledge, But a fool exposes folly.
King James Version
Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.
English Standard Version
Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.
New American Standard Bible
Every prudent person acts with knowledge, But a fool displays foolishness.
New Century Version
Every wise person acts with good sense, but fools show how foolish they are.
New English Translation
Every shrewd person acts with knowledge, but a fool displays his folly.
Amplified Bible
Every prudent and self-disciplined man acts with knowledge, But a [closed-minded] fool [who refuses to learn] displays his foolishness [for all to see].
World English Bible
Every prudent man acts from knowledge, But a fool exposes folly.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Euery wise man will worke by knowledge: but a foole will spread abroade folly.
Legacy Standard Bible
Every prudent man acts with knowledge,But a fool spreads out folly.
Berean Standard Bible
Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool displays his folly.
Contemporary English Version
If you have good sense, you will act sensibly, but fools act like fools.
Complete Jewish Bible
Every cautious person acts with knowledge, but a fool parades his folly.
Darby Translation
Every prudent [man] acteth with knowledge; but the foolish layeth open [his] folly.
Easy-to-Read Version
Wise people always think before they do anything, but fools show how stupid they are by what they do.
George Lamsa Translation
Every prudent man deals wisely; but a fool speaks foolishness.
Lexham English Bible
Anyone who is clever will act with intelligence, but the fool will display folly.
Literal Translation
Every prudent one deals with knowledge, but a fool lays open his foolishness.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A wyse man doth all thinges with discrecion, but a foole wil declare his foly.
American Standard Version
Every prudent man worketh with knowledge; But a fool flaunteth his folly.
Bible in Basic English
A sharp man does everything with knowledge, but a foolish man makes clear his foolish thoughts.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Every prudent man dealeth with forethought; but a fool unfoldeth folly.
King James Version (1611)
Euery prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a foole layeth open his folly.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
A wise man doth all thynges with discretion: but a foole wyll declare his follie.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Every prudent man acts with knowledge: but the fool displays his own mischief.
English Revised Version
Every prudent man worketh with knowledge: but a fool spreadeth out folly.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A fel man doith alle thingis with counsel; but he that is a fool, schal opene foli.
Update Bible Version
Every prudent man works with knowledge; But a fool flaunts [his] folly.
Webster's Bible Translation
Every prudent [man] dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open [his] folly.
New King James Version
Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool lays open his folly.
New Living Translation
Wise people think before they act; fools don't—and even brag about their foolishness.
New Life Bible
Every wise man acts with much learning, but a fool makes his foolish way known.
New Revised Standard
The clever do all things intelligently, but the fool displays folly.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Every prudent man, maketh use of knowledge, but, a dullard, spreadeth folly.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The prudent man doth all things with counsel: but he that is a fool, layeth open his folly.
Revised Standard Version
In everything a prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.
Young's Literal Translation
Every prudent one dealeth with knowledge, And a fool spreadeth out folly.
THE MESSAGE
A commonsense person lives good sense; fools litter the country with silliness.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool displays folly.

Contextual Overview

16 Sensible people always think before they act, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

prudent: Proverbs 12:22, Proverbs 12:23, Proverbs 15:2, Proverbs 21:24, Psalms 112:5, Isaiah 52:13, Matthew 10:16, Romans 16:19, 1 Corinthians 14:20, Ephesians 5:17

a fool: 1 Samuel 25:10, 1 Samuel 25:11, 1 Samuel 25:17, 1 Samuel 25:25, Ecclesiastes 10:3

layeth: Heb. spreadeth

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:5 - Peradventure 2 Chronicles 10:10 - My little finger Proverbs 14:33 - General Proverbs 15:28 - the mouth

Cross-References

Genesis 13:1
Abram went north out of Egypt to the southern part of Canaan with his wife and everything he owned, and Lot went with him.
Genesis 13:2
Abram was a very rich man, with sheep, goats, and cattle, as well as silver and gold.
Genesis 13:3
Then he left there and moved from place to place, going toward Bethel. He reached the place between Bethel and Ai where he had camped before
Genesis 13:14
After Lot had left, the Lord said to Abram, "From where you are, look carefully in all directions.
Genesis 13:16
I am going to give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them all; it would be as easy to count all the specks of dust on earth!
Genesis 13:18
So Abram moved his camp and settled near the sacred trees of Mamre at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord .
Genesis 15:5
The Lord took him outside and said, "Look at the sky and try to count the stars; you will have as many descendants as that."
Genesis 17:6
I will give you many descendants, and some of them will be kings. You will have so many descendants that they will become nations.
Genesis 17:16
I will bless her, and I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will become the mother of nations, and there will be kings among her descendants."
Genesis 17:20
I have heard your request about Ishmael, so I will bless him and give him many children and many descendants. He will be the father of twelve princes, and I will make a great nation of his descendants.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Every prudent [man] dealeth with knowledge,.... In order to get more, and with men of knowledge for the same purpose; all he does is with knowledge and discretion; he does not meddle with things, nor has he to do with persons, he knows nothing of; he both acts and speaks with knowledge, cautiously, wisely, considering well time, place, and persons: and every wise and good man deals with evangelical knowledge, and studies to grow in the knowledge of the Gospel, and the mysteries of it; in the knowledge of Christ, and of God in Christ; the issue of which is life eternal;

but a fool layeth open [his] folly; or "spreads" q it; and exposes it to the view of everyone, by his foolish talk and indiscreet actions.

q יפרש "expandit", Mercerus, Gejerus, Michaelis.


 
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