New King James Version
Proverbs 23:9
9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Proverbs 23:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.
Context of Proverbs 23:9
7For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you. 8The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, And waste your pleasant words. Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words. 10Do not remove the ancient landmark, Nor enter the fields of the fatherless; 11For their Redeemer is mighty; He will plead their cause against you.
Read all of Proverbs 23Proverbs 23:9 word by word
בְּאָזְנֵ֣י כְ֭סִיל אַל־תְּדַבֵּ֑ר כִּֽי־יָ֝ב֗וּז לְשֵׂ֣כֶל מִלֶּֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 23:9
- Proverbs 9:7“He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
- Proverbs 26:4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.
- Isaiah 36:21But they held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.”
- Matthew 7:6“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
- Acts 13:45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.
- Acts 28:25So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,
- Luke 16:14Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.
- John 8:52Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’
- John 9:30The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!
- John 10:20And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
- Acts 17:18Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.
- 1 Corinthians 1:21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
- 1 Corinthians 4:10We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!
Commentaries on Proverbs 23:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9The “fool” here is one willfully and persistently deaf to it, almost identical with the scorner.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9Verse 9 It is our duty to take all fit occasions to speak of Divine things; but if what a wise man says will not be heard, let him hold his peace.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Saying 9: Fools do not listen to advice (compare Proverbs 9:7–12; 10:18), so wise people do not waste their words (see Matthew 7:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. (Compare Pr 9:8). "Cast not your pearls before swine" (Mt 7:6).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 23:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 23
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries