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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Proverbs 15:2

Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Speaking;   Wisdom;   Thompson Chain Reference - Folly;   Fools;   Wisdom-Folly;   The Topic Concordance - Foolishness;   Knowledge;   Speech/communication;   Wisdom;   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 - Fool;   Mediation;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive,but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.
Hebrew Names Version
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, But the mouth of fools gush out folly.
King James Version
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
English Standard Version
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
New American Standard Bible
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant, But the mouth of fools spouts foolishness.
New Century Version
Wise people use knowledge when they speak, but fools pour out foolishness.
Amplified Bible
The tongue of the wise speaks knowledge that is pleasing and acceptable, But the [babbling] mouth of fools spouts folly.
World English Bible
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, But the mouth of fools gush out folly.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The tongue of the wise vseth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fooles babbleth out foolishnesse.
Legacy Standard Bible
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge look good,But the mouth of fools pours forth folly.
Berean Standard Bible
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.
Contemporary English Version
Words of wisdom come from the wise, but fools speak foolishness.
Complete Jewish Bible
The tongue of the wise presents knowledge well, but the mouth of a fool spews out folly.
Darby Translation
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright; but the mouth of the foolish poureth out folly.
Easy-to-Read Version
Listening to wise people increases your knowledge, but only nonsense comes from the mouths of fools.
George Lamsa Translation
The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools pours out curses.
Good News Translation
When wise people speak, they make knowledge attractive, but stupid people spout nonsense.
Lexham English Bible
The tongue of the wise will dispense knowledge, but the mouth of fools will pour out folly.
Literal Translation
The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours out foolishness.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A wyse tonge commendeth knowlege, a foolish mouth blabbeth out nothinge but foolishnesse.
American Standard Version
The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright; But the mouth of fools poureth out folly.
Bible in Basic English
Knowledge is dropping from the tongue of the wise; but from the mouth of the foolish comes a stream of foolish words.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
King James Version (1611)
The tongue of the wise, vseth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fooles, powreth out foolishnes.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The tongue of such as be wise vseth knoweledge aryght: as for a foolishe mouth it babbleth out nothyng but foolishnesse.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The tongue of the wise knows what is good: but the mouth of the foolish tells out evil things.
English Revised Version
The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out folly.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The tunge of wise men ourneth kunnyng; the mouth of foolis buylith out foli.
Update Bible Version
The tongue of the wise utters knowledge aright; But the mouth of fools pours out folly.
Webster's Bible Translation
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
New English Translation
The tongue of the wise treats knowledge correctly, but the mouth of the fool spouts out folly.
New King James Version
The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.
New Living Translation
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.
New Life Bible
The tongue of the wise uses much learning in a good way, but the mouth of fools speaks in a foolish way.
New Revised Standard
The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The tongue of the wise, adorneth knowledge, - but, the month of dullards, belcheth out folly.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The tongue of the wise adorneth knowledge: but the mouth of fools bubbleth out folly.
Revised Standard Version
The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
Young's Literal Translation
The tongue of the wise maketh knowledge good, And the mouth of fools uttereth folly.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly.

Contextual Overview

2 Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

tongue: Proverbs 15:23, Proverbs 15:28, Proverbs 12:23, Proverbs 13:16, Proverbs 16:23, Proverbs 25:11, Proverbs 25:12, Psalms 45:1, Ecclesiastes 10:12, Ecclesiastes 10:13, Isaiah 50:4

poureth: Heb. belcheth, or, bubbleth, Psalms 59:7

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 6:7 - shalt talk 1 Samuel 20:30 - Thou Job 33:3 - my lips Proverbs 5:2 - thy lips Proverbs 10:32 - but Proverbs 12:13 - wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips Proverbs 14:33 - General Proverbs 16:22 - the instruction Proverbs 17:28 - General Ecclesiastes 5:3 - a fool's Ecclesiastes 10:14 - fool Ezekiel 13:3 - foolish Matthew 15:18 - General Acts 19:41 - when Ephesians 4:29 - that which Ephesians 5:4 - filthiness James 1:19 - slow to speak James 1:26 - bridleth James 3:5 - so

Cross-References

Genesis 15:1
After all these things, this word of God came to Abram in a vision: "Don't be afraid, Abram. I'm your shield. Your reward will be grand!"
Genesis 15:2
Abram said, " God , Master, what use are your gifts as long as I'm childless and Eliezer of Damascus is going to inherit everything?" Abram continued, "See, you've given me no children, and now a mere house servant is going to get it all."
Genesis 15:4
Then God 's Message came: "Don't worry, he won't be your heir; a son from your body will be your heir."
Genesis 15:6
And he believed! Believed God ! God declared him "Set-Right-with-God."
Genesis 24:2
Abraham spoke to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of everything he had, "Put your hand under my thigh and swear by God —God of Heaven, God of Earth—that you will not get a wife for my son from among the young women of the Canaanites here, but will go to the land of my birth and get a wife for my son Isaac."
Genesis 24:10
The servant took ten of his master's camels and, loaded with gifts from his master, traveled to Aram Naharaim and the city of Nahor. Outside the city, he made the camels kneel at a well. It was evening, the time when the women came to draw water. He prayed, "O God , God of my master Abraham, make things go smoothly this day; treat my master Abraham well! As I stand here by the spring while the young women of the town come out to get water, let the girl to whom I say, ‘Lower your jug and give me a drink,' and who answers, ‘Drink, and let me also water your camels'—let her be the woman you have picked out for your servant Isaac. Then I'll know that you're working graciously behind the scenes for my master."
Genesis 25:21
Isaac prayed hard to God for his wife because she was barren. God answered his prayer and Rebekah became pregnant. But the children tumbled and kicked inside her so much that she said, "If this is the way it's going to be, why go on living?" She went to God to find out what was going on. God told her, Two nations are in your womb, two peoples butting heads while still in your body. One people will overpower the other, and the older will serve the younger.
Genesis 43:19
So they went up to Joseph's house steward and talked to him in the doorway. They said, "Listen, master. We came down here one other time to buy food. On our way home, the first night out we opened our bags and found our money at the mouth of the bag—the exact amount we'd paid. We've brought it all back and have plenty more to buy more food with. We have no idea who put the money in our bags."
Genesis 44:1
Joseph ordered his house steward: "Fill the men's bags with food—all they can carry—and replace each one's money at the top of the bag. Then put my chalice, my silver chalice, in the top of the bag of the youngest, along with the money for his food." He did as Joseph ordered.
Psalms 127:3
Don't you see that children are God 's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright,.... As the heart of a wise and good man is filled with useful knowledge, civil, moral, spiritual, and evangelical; so he takes care to communicate it, at proper times and seasons, in proper places, and to proper persons; adapting it to their case and circumstances, so as it may be for their comfort, edification, and instruction, and minister grace unto them; which is using knowledge "well", as the word s signifies: such an use of it recommends it, and makes it appear beautiful and lovely, decorates and adorns it. Thus every good man, out of the good treasure of knowledge in his heart, brings forth his good things seasonably, to the use of edifying; in like manner, ministers of the word, scribes well instructed in the things of God, bring forth both new and old, to the profit of those to whom they minister; so Christ, as man and Mediator, had the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season to weary souls;

but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness; their knowledge, as they take it to be, but it is no other than folly; this they throw out in great plenty, in a hurry, without fear or wit; they "babble" it out, as the word t signifies, as water out of a fountain; their hearts are full of it, and their mouths proclaim it, Proverbs 12:23.

s היטיב "utitur bene", Castalio; "pulchre", Vatablus. t יביע "effutit, ebullit, fundit", Vatablus; "eructat", Junius Tremellius, Piscator "ebullit", V. L. Tigurine version, Schultens; "scaturire facit", Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Useth knowledge aright - Rather, makes knowledge goodly. The power of well-considered speech to commend true wisdom, is contrasted with the pouring (literally as in the margin) forth of folly.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 15:2. Useth knowledge aright — This is very difficult to know: - when to speak, and when to be silent; what to speak, and what to leave unspoken; the manner that is best and most suitable to the occasion, the subject, the circumstances, and the persons. All these are difficulties, often even to the wisest men. Even wise counsel may be foolishly given.


 
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