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Contemporary English Version

Proverbs 14:24

Wisdom can make you rich, but foolishness leads to more foolishness.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Riches;   The Topic Concordance - Folly;   Foolishness;   Wisdom;  

Dictionaries:

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

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Crown;   Fool;   Riches;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The crown of the wise is their wealth,but the foolishness of fools produces foolishness.
Hebrew Names Version
The crown of the wise is their riches, But the folly of fools crowns them with folly.
King James Version
The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.
English Standard Version
The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly.
New American Standard Bible
The crown of the wise is their riches, But the foolishness of fools is simply foolishness.
New Century Version
Wise people are rewarded with wealth, but fools only get more foolishness.
Amplified Bible
The crown of the wise is their wealth [of wisdom], But the foolishness of [closed-minded] fools is [nothing but] folly.
World English Bible
The crown of the wise is their riches, But the folly of fools crowns them with folly.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The crowne of the wise is their riches, and the follie of fooles is foolishnes.
Legacy Standard Bible
The crown of the wise is their riches,But the folly of fools is folly.
Berean Standard Bible
The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the effort of fools is folly.
Complete Jewish Bible
The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools is just that — folly.
Darby Translation
The crown of the wise is their riches; the folly of the foolish is folly.
Easy-to-Read Version
A wise person's reward is wealth, but a fool's reward is foolishness.
George Lamsa Translation
The crown of the wise is their riches; but the perverseness of fools is their folly.
Good News Translation
Wise people are rewarded with wealth, but fools are known by their foolishness.
Lexham English Bible
The crown of the wise is their wealth; the folly of fools is folly.
Literal Translation
The crown of the wise is their riches; the foolishness of fools is folly.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Riches are an ornament vnto the wyse, but the ignoraunce of fooles is very foolishnesse.
American Standard Version
The crown of the wise is their riches; But the folly of fools is only folly.
Bible in Basic English
Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The crown of the wise is their riches; but the folly of fools remaineth folly.
King James Version (1611)
The crowne of the wise is their riches: but the foolishnesse of fooles is folly.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Riches are as a crowne vnto the wise: but the ignoraunce of fooles is very foolishnesse.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A prudent man is the crown of the wise: but the occupation of fools is evil.
English Revised Version
The crown of the wise is their riches: but the folly of fools is only folly.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The coroun of wise men is the richessis of hem; the fooli of foolis is vnwarnesse.
Update Bible Version
The crown of the wise is their riches; [But] folly is the diadem of fools.
Webster's Bible Translation
The crown of the wise [is] their riches: [but] the foolishness of fools [is] folly.
New English Translation
The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools is folly.
New King James Version
The crown of the wise is their riches, But the foolishness of fools is folly.
New Living Translation
Wealth is a crown for the wise; the effort of fools yields only foolishness.
New Life Bible
What the wise receive is their riches, but fools are known by their foolish ways.
New Revised Standard
The crown of the wise is their wisdom, but folly is the garland of fools.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
the crown of the wise, is their wealth, but, the folly of dullards, is, folly.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The crown of the wise, is their riches: the folly of fools, imprudence.
Revised Standard Version
The crown of the wise is their wisdom, but folly is the garland of fools.
Young's Literal Translation
The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
THE MESSAGE
The wise accumulate wisdom; fools get stupider by the day.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The crown of the wise is their riches, But the folly of fools is foolishness.

Contextual Overview

24 Wisdom can make you rich, but foolishness leads to more foolishness.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

crown: Psalms 112:9, Ecclesiastes 7:11, Ecclesiastes 7:12, Isaiah 33:6, Luke 16:9

foolishness: Proverbs 27:22, Psalms 49:10-13, Luke 12:19, Luke 12:20, Luke 16:19-25

Cross-References

Genesis 14:7
They went back to the city of Enmishpat, better known as Kadesh. Then they captured all the land that belonged to the Amalekites, and they defeated the Amorites who were living in Hazazon-Tamar.
Genesis 14:8
At Siddim Valley, the armies of the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela fought the armies of King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Babylonia, and King Arioch of Ellasar. The valley
Genesis 14:13
At this time Abram the Hebrew was living near the oaks that belonged to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his brothers Eshcol and Aner were Abram's friends. Someone who had escaped from the battle told Abram
Genesis 14:14
that his nephew Lot had been taken away. Three hundred eighteen of Abram's servants were fighting men, so he took them and followed the enemy as far north as the city of Dan.
Genesis 14:15
That night, Abram divided up his troops, attacked from all sides, and won a great victory. But some of the enemy escaped to the town of Hobah north of Damascus,
Proverbs 3:27
Do all you can for everyone who deserves your help.
Matthew 7:12
Treat others as you want them to treat you. This is what the Law and the Prophets are all about.
1 Timothy 5:18
It is just as the Scriptures say, "Don't muzzle an ox when you are using it to grind grain." You also know the saying, "Workers are worth their pay."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The crown of the wise [is] their riches,.... Riches being used by them to increase and improve their knowledge and wisdom, and for the good of men, are an honour to them, and give them credit and reputation among men of sense and goodness; see Ecclesiastes 7:11;

[but] the foolishness of fools [is] folly; mere folly, extreme folly, just the same as it was; riches make them never the wiser; yea, their folly is oftentimes made more manifest through the ill use they make of their riches; spending them in the gratification of their sinful lusts; and making no use of them for their own improvement in knowledge, or for the good of their fellow creatures. The Targum is,

"the glory of fools is their folly;''

and that is no other than their shame, and in which they glory; such fools are wicked men.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

“The crown,” i. e., the glory of the wise man constitutes his wealth. He alone is truly rich even as he alone (compare Proverbs 14:18 note) is truly king.

The seeming tautology of the second clause is really its point. Turn “the foolishness of fools” as you will, it comes back to “foolishness” at last.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 14:24. But the foolishness of fools is folly. — The Targum reads, The honour of fools is folly. The fool, from his foolishness, produces acts of folly. This appears to be the meaning.


 
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