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Monday, July 7th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Good News Translation

Proverbs 15:2

When wise people speak, they make knowledge attractive, but stupid people spout nonsense.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Speaking;   Wisdom;   Thompson Chain Reference - Folly;   Fools;   Wisdom-Folly;   The Topic Concordance - Foolishness;   Knowledge;   Speech/communication;   Wisdom;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fools;  

Dictionaries:

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

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Fool;   Mediation;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive,but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.
Hebrew Names Version
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, But the mouth of fools gush out folly.
King James Version
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
English Standard Version
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
New American Standard Bible
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant, But the mouth of fools spouts foolishness.
New Century Version
Wise people use knowledge when they speak, but fools pour out foolishness.
Amplified Bible
The tongue of the wise speaks knowledge that is pleasing and acceptable, But the [babbling] mouth of fools spouts folly.
World English Bible
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, But the mouth of fools gush out folly.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The tongue of the wise vseth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fooles babbleth out foolishnesse.
Legacy Standard Bible
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge look good,But the mouth of fools pours forth folly.
Berean Standard Bible
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.
Contemporary English Version
Words of wisdom come from the wise, but fools speak foolishness.
Complete Jewish Bible
The tongue of the wise presents knowledge well, but the mouth of a fool spews out folly.
Darby Translation
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright; but the mouth of the foolish poureth out folly.
Easy-to-Read Version
Listening to wise people increases your knowledge, but only nonsense comes from the mouths of fools.
George Lamsa Translation
The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools pours out curses.
Lexham English Bible
The tongue of the wise will dispense knowledge, but the mouth of fools will pour out folly.
Literal Translation
The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours out foolishness.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A wyse tonge commendeth knowlege, a foolish mouth blabbeth out nothinge but foolishnesse.
American Standard Version
The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright; But the mouth of fools poureth out folly.
Bible in Basic English
Knowledge is dropping from the tongue of the wise; but from the mouth of the foolish comes a stream of foolish words.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
King James Version (1611)
The tongue of the wise, vseth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fooles, powreth out foolishnes.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The tongue of such as be wise vseth knoweledge aryght: as for a foolishe mouth it babbleth out nothyng but foolishnesse.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The tongue of the wise knows what is good: but the mouth of the foolish tells out evil things.
English Revised Version
The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out folly.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The tunge of wise men ourneth kunnyng; the mouth of foolis buylith out foli.
Update Bible Version
The tongue of the wise utters knowledge aright; But the mouth of fools pours out folly.
Webster's Bible Translation
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
New English Translation
The tongue of the wise treats knowledge correctly, but the mouth of the fool spouts out folly.
New King James Version
The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.
New Living Translation
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.
New Life Bible
The tongue of the wise uses much learning in a good way, but the mouth of fools speaks in a foolish way.
New Revised Standard
The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The tongue of the wise, adorneth knowledge, - but, the month of dullards, belcheth out folly.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The tongue of the wise adorneth knowledge: but the mouth of fools bubbleth out folly.
Revised Standard Version
The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
Young's Literal Translation
The tongue of the wise maketh knowledge good, And the mouth of fools uttereth folly.
THE MESSAGE
Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly.

Contextual Overview

2 When wise people speak, they make knowledge attractive, but stupid people spout nonsense.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

tongue: Proverbs 15:23, Proverbs 15:28, Proverbs 12:23, Proverbs 13:16, Proverbs 16:23, Proverbs 25:11, Proverbs 25:12, Psalms 45:1, Ecclesiastes 10:12, Ecclesiastes 10:13, Isaiah 50:4

poureth: Heb. belcheth, or, bubbleth, Psalms 59:7

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 6:7 - shalt talk 1 Samuel 20:30 - Thou Job 33:3 - my lips Proverbs 5:2 - thy lips Proverbs 10:32 - but Proverbs 12:13 - wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips Proverbs 14:33 - General Proverbs 16:22 - the instruction Proverbs 17:28 - General Ecclesiastes 5:3 - a fool's Ecclesiastes 10:14 - fool Ezekiel 13:3 - foolish Matthew 15:18 - General Acts 19:41 - when Ephesians 4:29 - that which Ephesians 5:4 - filthiness James 1:19 - slow to speak James 1:26 - bridleth James 3:5 - so

Cross-References

Genesis 15:1
After this, Abram had a vision and heard the Lord say to him, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I will shield you from danger and give you a great reward."
Genesis 15:2
But Abram answered, "Sovereign Lord , what good will your reward do me, since I have no children? My only heir is Eliezer of Damascus.
Genesis 15:3
You have given me no children, and one of my slaves will inherit my property."
Genesis 15:4
Then he heard the Lord speaking to him again: "This slave Eliezer will not inherit your property; your own son will be your heir."
Genesis 15:6
Abram put his trust in the Lord , and because of this the Lord was pleased with him and accepted him.
Genesis 24:2
He said to his oldest servant, who was in charge of all that he had, "Place your hand between my thighs and make a vow.
Genesis 24:10
The servant, who was in charge of Abraham's property, took ten of his master's camels and went to the city where Nahor had lived in northern Mesopotamia.
Genesis 25:21
Because Rebecca had no children, Isaac prayed to the Lord for her. The Lord answered his prayer, and Rebecca became pregnant.
Genesis 39:9
I have as much authority in this house as he has, and he has not kept back anything from me except you. How then could I do such an immoral thing and sin against God?"
Genesis 43:19
So at the door of the house, they said to the servant in charge,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright,.... As the heart of a wise and good man is filled with useful knowledge, civil, moral, spiritual, and evangelical; so he takes care to communicate it, at proper times and seasons, in proper places, and to proper persons; adapting it to their case and circumstances, so as it may be for their comfort, edification, and instruction, and minister grace unto them; which is using knowledge "well", as the word s signifies: such an use of it recommends it, and makes it appear beautiful and lovely, decorates and adorns it. Thus every good man, out of the good treasure of knowledge in his heart, brings forth his good things seasonably, to the use of edifying; in like manner, ministers of the word, scribes well instructed in the things of God, bring forth both new and old, to the profit of those to whom they minister; so Christ, as man and Mediator, had the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season to weary souls;

but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness; their knowledge, as they take it to be, but it is no other than folly; this they throw out in great plenty, in a hurry, without fear or wit; they "babble" it out, as the word t signifies, as water out of a fountain; their hearts are full of it, and their mouths proclaim it, Proverbs 12:23.

s היטיב "utitur bene", Castalio; "pulchre", Vatablus. t יביע "effutit, ebullit, fundit", Vatablus; "eructat", Junius Tremellius, Piscator "ebullit", V. L. Tigurine version, Schultens; "scaturire facit", Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Useth knowledge aright - Rather, makes knowledge goodly. The power of well-considered speech to commend true wisdom, is contrasted with the pouring (literally as in the margin) forth of folly.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 15:2. Useth knowledge aright — This is very difficult to know: - when to speak, and when to be silent; what to speak, and what to leave unspoken; the manner that is best and most suitable to the occasion, the subject, the circumstances, and the persons. All these are difficulties, often even to the wisest men. Even wise counsel may be foolishly given.


 
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