Amplified Bible
Proverbs 26:10
10Like a [careless] archer who [shoots arrows wildly and] wounds everyone, So is he who hires a fool or those who [by chance just] pass by.
Proverbs 26:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
- New International Version (NIV)Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The great God who formed everything Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
Context of Proverbs 26:10
8Like one who [absurdly] binds a stone in a sling [making it impossible to throw], So is he who [absurdly] gives honor to a fool. 9Like a thorn that goes [without being felt] into the hand of a drunken man, So is a proverb in the mouth of a fool [who remains unaffected by its wisdom]. Like a [careless] archer who [shoots arrows wildly and] wounds everyone, So is he who hires a fool or those who [by chance just] pass by. 11Like a dog that returns to his vomit Is a fool who repeats his foolishness. 12Do you see a man [who is unteachable and] wise in his own eyes and full of self-conceit? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Read all of Proverbs 26Proverbs 26:10 word by word
רַ֥ב מְחֽוֹלֵֽל־כֹּ֑ל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר כְּ֝סִ֗יל וְשֹׂכֵ֥ר עֹבְרִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 26:10
Commentaries on Proverbs 26:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10The great God that formed all things - Or, A great man grieveth all, and he hireth the fool, he hireth also transgressors, where this verse is very differently translated. I shall add that of Coverdale: "A man of experience discerneth all thinges well: but whoso hyreth a foole, hyreth soch one as wyl take no hede." The רב rab may mean either the great God, or a great man: hence the two renderings, in the text and in the margin.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10The word “God” is not in the original, and the adjective translated “great” is never used elsewhere absolutely in that sense. The simplest and best interpretation is: As the archer that woundeth everyone, so is he who hireth the fool, and he who hireth every passerby. Acting at random, entrusting matters of grave moment to men of bad repute, is as likely to do mischief as to shoot arrows at everyone.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10Verse 10 This verse may either declare how the Lord, the Creator of all men, will deal with sinners according to their guilt, or, how the powerful among men should disgrace and punish the wicked.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10A fool or bystander might be lazy (see Proverbs 10:4–6) or incompetent (see 26:6–7). Employers should be cautious!Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. Various versions of this are proposed (compare Margin). Better perhaps--"Much He injures (or literally, "wounds") all who reward," &c., that is, society is injured by encouraging evil men. transgressors--may be rendered "vagrants." The word "God" is improperly supplied.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 26:10
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Amplified Bible — © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
Commentaries