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Friday, May 2nd, 2025
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Proverbs 14:16

Wise people are careful and avoid trouble; fools are too confident and careless.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Confidence;   Fear of God;   Prudence;   Wisdom;   Thompson Chain Reference - Confidence, False;   Evil;   Invitations-Warnings;   Security-Insecurity;   Self-Confidence;   Shun Evil;   Warnings;   The Topic Concordance - Evil;   Foolishness;   Wisdom;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fools;  

Dictionaries:

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

Encyclopedias:

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

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A wise person is cautious and turns from evil,but a fool is easily angered and is careless.
Hebrew Names Version
A wise man fears, and shuns evil, But the fool is hotheaded and reckless.
King James Version
A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
English Standard Version
One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.
New American Standard Bible
A wise person is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.
New Century Version
Wise people are careful and stay out of trouble, but fools are careless and quick to act.
Amplified Bible
A wise man suspects danger and cautiously avoids evil, But the fool is arrogant and careless.
World English Bible
A wise man fears, and shuns evil, But the fool is hotheaded and reckless.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A wise man feareth, and departeth from euill: but a foole rageth, and is carelesse.
Legacy Standard Bible
A wise man fears and turns away from evil,But a fool gets angry and feels secure.
Berean Standard Bible
A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless.
Contemporary English Version
Only a stupid fool is never cautious— so be extra careful and stay out of trouble.
Complete Jewish Bible
A wise person fears and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and overconfident.
Darby Translation
A wise [man] feareth and departeth from evil; but the foolish is overbearing and confident.
George Lamsa Translation
A wise man is cautious, and departs from evil; but the fool tampers with it confidently.
Good News Translation
Sensible people are careful to stay out of trouble, but stupid people are careless and act too quickly.
Lexham English Bible
The wise is cautious and turns from evil, but the fool throws off restraint and is confident.
Literal Translation
The wise fears and departs from evil, but the fool rages and is sure.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A wyse man, feareth, and departeth from euell, but a foole goeth on presumptuously.
American Standard Version
A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; But the fool beareth himself insolently, and is confident.
Bible in Basic English
The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; but the fool behaveth overbearingly, and is confident.
King James Version (1611)
A wise man feareth, and departeth from euill: but the foole rageth, and is confident.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
A wyse man feareth, and departeth from euyll: but the foole is angry, and counteth hym selfe sure.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A wise man fears, and departs from evil; but the fool trusts in himself, and joins himself with the transgressor.
English Revised Version
A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool beareth himself insolently, and is confident.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A wijs man dredith, and bowith awei fro yuel; a fool skippith ouer, and tristith.
Update Bible Version
A wise man fears, and departs from evil; But the fool bears himself insolently, and is confident.
Webster's Bible Translation
A wise [man] feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
New English Translation
A wise person is cautious and turns from evil, but a fool throws off restraint and is overconfident.
New King James Version
A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident.
New Living Translation
The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.
New Life Bible
A wise man fears God and turns away from what is sinful, but a fool is full of pride and is not careful.
New Revised Standard
The wise are cautious and turn away from evil, but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A wise man, feareth, and avoideth evil, but, a dullard, is haughty and confident.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A wise man feareth, and declineth from evil: the fool leapeth over, and is confident.
Revised Standard Version
A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool throws off restraint and is careless.
Young's Literal Translation
The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
THE MESSAGE
The wise watch their steps and avoid evil; fools are headstrong and reckless.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.

Contextual Overview

16 Wise people are careful and avoid trouble; fools are too confident and careless.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

feareth: Proverbs 3:7, Proverbs 16:6, Proverbs 16:17, Proverbs 22:3, Genesis 33:9, Genesis 42:18, Nehemiah 5:15, Job 31:21-23, Psalms 119:120, 1 Thessalonians 5:22

the fool: Proverbs 7:22, Proverbs 28:14, Proverbs 29:9, 1 Kings 19:2, 1 Kings 20:10, 1 Kings 20:11, 1 Kings 20:18, Ecclesiastes 10:13, Mark 6:17-19, Mark 6:24, Mark 6:25, John 9:40

Reciprocal: Genesis 19:9 - pressed Numbers 22:27 - and Balaam's anger 2 Chronicles 10:10 - My little finger 2 Chronicles 18:26 - until I return Job 17:9 - hold on Proverbs 12:15 - way Proverbs 15:21 - a man Proverbs 18:6 - fool's Isaiah 56:2 - keepeth his Jeremiah 44:10 - neither Matthew 5:22 - fool 2 Corinthians 7:11 - fear Hebrews 4:1 - us therefore 1 Peter 1:17 - in fear

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
I will build a great nation from you. I will bless you and make your name famous. People will use your name to bless other people.
Genesis 14:11
So Kedorlaomer and his armies took everything that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah owned. They took all their food and clothing and left.
Genesis 14:12
Lot, the son of Abram's brother, was living in Sodom, and they captured him. They also took everything he owned and left.
Genesis 14:18
Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, also went to meet Abram. He brought bread and wine.
Genesis 14:19
He blessed Abram and said, "Abram, may you be blessed by God Most High, the one who made heaven and earth.
1 Samuel 30:8
Then David prayed to the Lord . "Should I chase the people who took our families? Will I catch them?" The Lord answered, "Chase them. You will catch them, and you will save your families."
Isaiah 41:2
Who woke up the man who is coming from the east? He called Justice to march with him. He uses his sword to crush nations. He uses his bow and conquers kings— they run away like straw blown by the wind.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A wise [man] feareth, and departeth from evil,.... He fears God, and is careful not to offend him; wherefore he departs from sin, stands at a distance from it, abstains from all appearance of it; being influenced by the goodness and grace of God unto him, he fears the Lord and his goodness, and therefore avoids all occasions of sinning against him: his motive is not merely fear of punishment, as Jarchi, but a sense of goodness; and now, as it is through the influence of divine fear that men depart from evil; so to do this shows a good understanding, and that such a man is a wise man, Proverbs 16:6;

but the fool rageth, and is confident; he fears neither God nor men, he sets his mouth against both; he "rages" in heart, if not with his mouth, against God and his law, which forbid the practice of such sins he delights in; and against all good men, that admonish him of them, rebuke him for them, or dissuade him from them: and "is confident" that no evil shall befall him; he has no concern about a future state, and is fearless of hell and damnation, though just upon the precipice of ruin; yet, as the words may be rendered, "he goes on confidently", nothing can stop him; he pushes on, regardless of the laws of God or men, of the advices and counsels of his friends, or of what will be the issue of his desperate courses in another world.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 14:16. A wise man feareth — He can never trust in himself, though he be satisfied from himself. He knows that his suffiency is of GOD; and he has that fear that causes him to depart from evil, which is a guardian to the love he feels. Love renders him cautious; the other makes him confident. His caution leads him from sin; his confidence leads him to God.


 
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