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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Proverbs 14:18

Fools are rewarded with more foolishness. Smart people are rewarded with knowledge.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Prudence;   Wisdom;   The Topic Concordance - Folly;   Inheritance;   Knowledge;   Prudence;   Simplicity;   Wickedness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prudence;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Head, Headship;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Diadem;   Proverbs, Book of;   Simplicity, Simple;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Crown;   Simplicity;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Crown;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The inexperienced inherit foolishness,but the sensible are crowned with knowledge.
Hebrew Names Version
The simple inherit folly, But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
King James Version
The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
English Standard Version
The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
New American Standard Bible
The naive inherit foolishness, But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.
New Century Version
Fools are rewarded with nothing but more foolishness, but the wise are rewarded with knowledge.
Amplified Bible
The naive [are unsophisticated and easy to exploit and] inherit foolishness, But the sensible [are thoughtful and far-sighted and] are crowned with knowledge.
World English Bible
The simple inherit folly, But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The foolish do inherite follie: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Legacy Standard Bible
The simple inherit folly,But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Berean Standard Bible
The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Contemporary English Version
Stupidity leads to foolishness; be smart and learn.
Complete Jewish Bible
Thoughtless people inherit folly, but the cautious are crowned with knowledge.
Darby Translation
The simple inherit folly; but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
George Lamsa Translation
Fools inherit folly; but the prudent dispense knowledge.
Good News Translation
Ignorant people get what their foolishness deserves, but the clever are rewarded with knowledge.
Lexham English Bible
The simple are adorned with folly, but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
Literal Translation
The simple inherit foolishness, but the wise are crowned with knowledge.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The ignoraut haue foolishnes in possessio, but the wyse are crowned with knowlege.
American Standard Version
The simple inherit folly; But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Bible in Basic English
Foolish behaviour is the heritage of the simple, but men of good sense are crowned with knowledge.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The thoughtless come into possession of folly; but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
King James Version (1611)
The simple inherite folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The ignoraunt haue foolishnesse in possession: but the wyse are crowned with knowledge.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Fools shall have mischief for their portion; but the prudent shall take fast hold of understanding.
English Revised Version
The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Litle men of wit schulen holde foli; and felle men schulen abide kunnyng.
Update Bible Version
The simple inherit folly; But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Webster's Bible Translation
The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
New English Translation
The naive inherit folly, but the shrewd are crowned with knowledge.
New King James Version
The simple inherit folly, But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
New Living Translation
Simpletons are clothed with foolishness, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
New Life Bible
Those who are easy to fool are foolish, but the wise have much learning.
New Revised Standard
The simple are adorned with folly, but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The simple inherit folly, but, the shrewd, crowneth himself with knowledge.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The childish shall possess folly, and the prudent shall look for knowledge.
Revised Standard Version
The simple acquire folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Young's Literal Translation
The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
THE MESSAGE
Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion; wise realists plant their feet on the ground.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The naive inherit foolishness, But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.

Contextual Overview

18 Fools are rewarded with more foolishness. Smart people are rewarded with knowledge.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

inherit: Proverbs 3:35, Proverbs 11:29, Jeremiah 16:19, Jeremiah 44:17, Matthew 23:29-32, 1 Peter 1:18

the prudent: Proverbs 4:7-9, Proverbs 11:30, Daniel 12:3, 2 Timothy 4:8, 1 Peter 5:4

Reciprocal: Psalms 65:11 - crownest Proverbs 7:7 - the simple Acts 13:7 - a prudent

Cross-References

Genesis 14:10
There were many holes filled with tar in the Valley of Siddim. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and their armies ran away, some of the soldiers fell into these holes, but the others ran away to the mountains.
Genesis 14:22
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I promise to the Lord , the God Most High, the one who made heaven and earth.
Ruth 3:10
Then Boaz said, "May the Lord bless you, young woman. You have been very kind to me. Your kindness to me is greater than the kindness you showed to Naomi in the beginning. You could have looked for a young man to marry, rich or poor. But you did not.
2 Samuel 2:5
David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead. These messengers told the men in Jabesh: "The Lord bless you, because you have shown kindness to your lord Saul by burying him.
Psalms 7:17
I praise the Lord because he is good. I praise the name of the Lord Most High.
Psalms 50:14
You made promises to God Most High, so give him what you promised. Bring your sacrifices and thank offerings.
Psalms 57:2
I pray to God Most High for help, and he takes care of me completely!
Psalms 76:2
His Temple is in Salem. His house is on Mount Zion.
Micah 6:6
What must I bring when I come to meet with the Lord ? What must I do when I bow down to God above? Should I come to him with burnt offerings and a year-old calf?
Acts 7:48
"But the Most High God does not live in houses built by human hands. This is what the prophet writes:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The simple inherit folly,.... It is natural and hereditary to them, they are born like wild asses colts; the foolish sayings and proverbs, customs and practices, of their ancestors, though they have been demonstrated to be mere folly, yet these, their posterity, approve them; they love, like, and retain them as their patrimony, Job 11:12. Such are the foolish traditions, customs, principles, and doctrines, of the church of Rome, handed down from father to son; and because Popery is the religion they have been bred and brought up in, though so foolish and absurd, they will not relinquish it;

but the prudent are crowned with knowledge; natural, civil, and spiritual, especially the latter; evangelical knowledge, the knowledge of Christ, and of God in Christ, and of Gospel truths; they are honoured with an acquaintance with them; and they esteem the knowledge of these above all things else, and reckon all things else but loss and dung in comparison of them; they are as a crown unto them, and the knowledge of them is the way to the crown of life; yea, is itself life eternal, Philippians 3:8. Or, they "crown themselves with knowledge" p; they labour after it, pursue it with eagerness, follow on to know the Lord, and attain to a large share of it; surround, encompass, and lay hold upon it, and gird themselves about with this girdle of truth. Or, "they crown knowledge" q; do honour to that, by putting it in practice; by adding to it temperance, and every virtue, and by bringing others to it; and are an ornament to it in their lives and conversation; they adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour.

p יכתירו דעת "imponent coronam sibi scientiam", Montanus; "coronant se scientia", Piscator, so Ben Melech. q "Coronabunt scientiam", Baynus; "ornant scientiam", Drusius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Crowned - The teacher anticipates the truth, and the paradox, of the Stoic saying, “The wise is the only king.”


 
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