“The lips of the wise spread knowledge”: A word to the unwise

Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense? (Prov 17:16).

O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense (Prov 8:5).

“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? (Prov 1:22).

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him (Prov 26:12).

Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools (Prov 14:33).

For whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm (Prov 13:20).

The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly (Prov 15:2).

The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool (Prov 10:18).

The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult (Prov 12:16).

For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them (Prov 1:32).

For the wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near (Prov 10:14).

And, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction (Prov 1:7).

The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace (Prov 3:35).

The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin (Prov 10:8).

Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, but a babbling fool will come to ruin (Prov 10:10).

The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense (Prov 10:21).

Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding (Prov 10:23).

Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart (Prov 11:29).

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice (Prov 12:15).

A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly (Prov 12:23).

In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly (Prov 13:16).

A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools (Prov 13:19).

By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them (Prov 14:3).

Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge (Prov 14:7).

The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving (Prov 14:8).

Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance (Prov 14:9).

One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless (Prov 14:16).

The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly (Prov 14:24).

A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent (Prov 15:5).

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools (Prov 15:7).

The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly (Prov 15:14).

Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly (Prov 16:22).

Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince (Prov 17:7).

A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool (Prov 17:10).

Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly (Prov 17:12).

He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy (Prov 17:21).

The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth (Prov 17:24).

Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent (Prov 17:28).

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion (Prov 18:2).

A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating (Prov 18:6).

A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul (Prov 18:7).

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool (Prov 19:1).

It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes (Prov 19:10).

Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools (Prov 19:29).

It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarrelling (Prov 20:3).

Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words (Prov 23:9).

Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth (Prov 24:7).

Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool (Prov 26:1).

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools (Prov 26:3).

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself (Prov 26:4).

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes (Prov 26:5).

Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence (Prov 26:6).

Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools (Prov 26:7).

Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool (Prov 26:8).

Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools (Prov 26:9).

Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard (Prov 26:10).

Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly (Prov 26:11).

Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his folly will not depart from him (Prov 27:22).

Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered (Prov 28:26).

If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet (Prov 29:9).

A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back (Prov 29:11).

Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him (Prov 29:20).

A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both (Prov 27:3).

The fools, learn from the wise ones, and avoid unnecessary insults, before, during and after the general elections.

K. Badu, UK.

Credit:

The Book of Proverbs