Proverbs 15:21

New Living Translation

Foolishness brings joy to those with no sense; a sensible person stays on the right path.

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
Folly is gladness to him who lacks a heart of wisdom,But a man of discernment walks straight.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Folly is joy to him who lacks sense, But a man of understanding walks straight.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Foolishnesse is ioy to him that is destitute of knowledge: but a man of vnderstandyng walketh vprightly.

Darby Translation
Folly is joy to him that is void of sense; but a man of understanding regulateth his walk.

New King James Version
Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment, But a man of understanding walks uprightly.

Literal Translation
Foolishness is joy to him who lacks understanding, but a man of understanding directs his going.

Easy-to-Read Version
Doing foolish things makes a fool happy, but a wise person is careful to do what is right.

World English Bible
Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom, But a man of understanding keeps his way straight.

King James Version (1611)
Folly is ioy to him that is destitute of wisedome: but a man of vnderstanding walketh vprightly.

King James Version
Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A foole reioyseth in foolish thinges, but a wyse man loketh well to his owne goinges.

THE MESSAGE
The empty-headed treat life as a plaything; the perceptive grasp its meaning and make a go of it.

Amplified Bible
Foolishness is joy to him who is without heart and lacks [intelligent, common] sense, But a man of understanding walks uprightly [making his course straight].

American Standard Version
Folly is joy to him that is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding maketh straight his going.

Bible in Basic English
Foolish behaviour is joy to the unwise; but a man of good sense makes his way straight.

Update Bible Version
Folly is joy to him that is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding makes straight his going.

Webster's Bible Translation
Folly [is] joy to [him that is] destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.

New English Translation
Folly is a joy to one who lacks sense, but one who has understanding follows an upright course.

Contemporary English Version
Stupidity brings happiness to senseless fools, but everyone with good sense follows the straight path.

Complete Jewish Bible
Folly appeals to one who lacks sense, but a person of discernment goes straight ahead.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Foolishnes is ioy to him that is destitute of vnderstanding: but a man of vnderstanding walketh vprightly.

George Lamsa Translation
A foolish man lacks understanding; but a man of understanding walks uprightly.

Hebrew Names Version
Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom, But a man of understanding keeps his way straight.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Folly is joy to him that lacketh understanding; but a man of discernment walketh straightforwards.

New Life Bible
A foolish way is joy to him who has no wisdom, but a man of understanding walks straight.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The ways of a foolish man are void of sense; but a wise man proceeds on his way aright.

English Revised Version
Folly is joy to him that is void of wisdom: but a man of understanding maketh straight his going.

Berean Standard Bible
Folly is joy to one who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding walks a straight path.

New Revised Standard
Folly is a joy to one who has no sense, but a person of understanding walks straight ahead.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Folly, is joy to him that lacketh sense, - but, a man of understanding, taketh a straight course.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Folly is joy to the fool: and the wise man maketh straight his steps.

Lexham English Bible
Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, and a person of understanding will walk upright.

English Standard Version
Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.

New American Standard Bible
Foolishness is joy to one who lacks sense, But a person of understanding walks straight.

New Century Version
A person without wisdom enjoys being foolish, but someone with understanding does what is right.

Good News Translation
Stupid people are happy with their foolishness, but the wise will do what is right.

Christian Standard Bible®
Foolishness brings joy to one without sense, but a man with understanding walks a straight path.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Foli is ioye to a fool; and a prudent man schal dresse hise steppis.

Revised Standard Version
Folly is a joy to him who has no sense, but a man of understanding walks aright.

Young's Literal Translation
Folly is joy to one lacking heart, And a man of intelligence directeth [his] going.

Contextual Overview

²¹ Foolishness brings joy to those with no sense; a sensible person stays on the right path.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

joy: Proverbs 10:23, Proverbs 14:9, Proverbs 26:18, Proverbs 26:19

destitute of wisdom: Heb. void of heart, Proverbs 11:12, *marg.

a man: Proverbs 14:16, Job 28:28, Psalms 111:10, Ephesians 5:15, James 3:13

Reciprocal: Proverbs 15:32 - getteth understanding

Cross-References

Genesis 15:15
(As for you, you will die in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.)

Genesis 15:19
the land now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,

Exodus 33:2
And I will send an angel before you to drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

Exodus 34:11
But listen carefully to everything I command you today. Then I will go ahead of you and drive out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

Deuteronomy 7:1
"When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, he will clear away many nations ahead of you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you.

Matthew 8:28
When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one could go through that area.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Folly [is] joy to [him that is] destitute of wisdom,.... Or "that wants a heart" q, a wise and understanding one; by "folly" is meant sin, for all sin is folly; and that is very pleasing and joyous to a wicked he chooses it and delights in it; instead of being ashamed of it, and sorry for it, he glories in it, and makes his boast of it; and not only takes pleasure in committing it himself, but also in those that do it; see Proverbs 10:23;

but a man of understanding walketh uprightly; he who has his understanding enlightened by the Spirit of God; who has an understanding given him by the Son of God; who has a spiritual and experimental understanding of the Gospel, and the truths of it: he walks according to the rule of the divine word; he walks as he has Christ for an example, and by faith on him; and after the spirit, and not after the flesh: or "directs himself in walking" r, his goings, as the Vulgate Latin version, according to the above rule, example, and guidance, by the assistance of the spirit and grace of God; otherwise it is not in man that walketh of himself to direct his steps,

Jeremiah 10:23.

q לחסר לב "carenti corde", Montanus; "ei qui deficitur", Schultens. r יישר לכת "diriget seipsum ambulando", Montanus; "diriget ambulare, vel ad ambulandum", Vatablus; "diriget viam suam ad ambulandum", Mercerus, Gejerus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

i. e., The empty-hearted, rejoicing in folly, goes the wrong way; the man of understanding, rejoicing in wisdom, goes the right way.