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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Proverbs 14:24

A wise person's reward is wealth, but a fool's reward is 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.
Contemporary English Version
Wisdom can make you rich, but foolishness leads to more foolishness.
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.
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 A wise person's reward is wealth, but a fool's reward is 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
Then King Kedorlaomer turned back, went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and defeated the Amalekites. He also defeated the Amorites living in Hazezon Tamar.
Genesis 14:8
At that time the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar) joined together to fight against their enemies in the Valley of Siddim.
Genesis 14:13
One of the men who had escaped went to Abram the Hebrew and told him what happened. Abram was camped near the trees of Mamre the Amorite. Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner had made an agreement to help each other, and they had also signed an agreement to help Abram.
Genesis 14:14
When Abram learned that Lot was captured, he called all of his family together. There were 318 trained soldiers. He led the men and chased the enemy all the way to the town of Dan.
Genesis 14:15
That night he and his men made a surprise attack against the enemy. They defeated them and chased them to Hobah, north of Damascus.
Proverbs 3:27
Do everything you possibly can for those who need help.
Matthew 7:12
"Do for others what you would want them to do for you. This is the meaning of the Law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.
1 Timothy 5:18
As the Scriptures say, "When a work animal is being used to separate grain, don't keep it from eating the grain." And the Scriptures also say, "A worker should be given his 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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