Lectionary Calendar
Friday, June 6th, 2025
the Seventh Week after Easter
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Proverbs 13:16

Wise people always think before they do anything, but fools show how stupid they are by what they do.

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.
George Lamsa Translation
Every prudent man deals wisely; but a fool speaks foolishness.
Good News Translation
Sensible people always think before they act, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.
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 Wise people always think before they do anything, but fools show how stupid they are by what they do.

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
So Abram left Egypt. He traveled through the Negev with his wife and everything he owned. Lot was also with them.
Genesis 13:2
At this time Abram was very rich. He had many animals and much silver and gold.
Genesis 13:3
Abram continued traveling around. He left the Negev and went back to Bethel. He went to the place between the city of Bethel and Ai, where he and his family had camped before.
Genesis 13:14
After Lot left, the Lord said to Abram, "Look around you. Look north, south, east, west.
Genesis 13:16
I will make your people so many that they will be like the dust of the earth. If people could count all the particles of dust on earth, they could count your people.
Genesis 13:18
So Abram moved his tents. He went to live near the big trees of Mamre. This was near the city of Hebron. There he built an altar to honor the Lord .
Genesis 15:5
Then God led Abram outside and said, "Look at the sky. See the many stars. There are so many you cannot count them. Your family will be like that."
Genesis 17:6
I will give you many descendants. New nations and kings will come from you.
Genesis 17:16
I will bless her. I will give her a son, and you will be the father. She will be the mother of many new nations. Kings of nations will come from her."
Genesis 17:20
"You mentioned Ishmael, and I heard you. I will bless him, and he will have many children. He will be the father of twelve great leaders. His family will become a great nation.

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile