Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
KJV
Parallel translations
4 additional translations▾
Parallel translations
4 additional translationsASV
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; When he shutteth his lips, he is esteemed as prudent.
WEB
Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
YLT
Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!
DBT
Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is reckoned wise, [and] he that shutteth his lips, intelligent.
About this book
Old Testament▾
About this book
Old TestamentProverbs — Gnomic wisdom — sayings, instructions, and the binary of wisdom vs. folly. Fear of the LORD as the integrative theme; the virtuous woman of Prov 31 as the book's closing portrait of wisdom embodied.
- Author
- Solomon principally (1:1; chs 10–22:16 and 25–29 explicitly); Agur (ch 30); Lemuel's mother (ch 31:1–9); editorial compilation by Hezekiah's men (25:1).
- Date
- Solomon's reign c. 970–930 BC; Hezekiah's editorial layer c. 715–687 BC.