Proverbs 12:15
in Proverbs 12The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; But he that is wise hearkeneth unto counsel.
KJV
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
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This verse in Proverbs 12
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech
on Proverbs 12:13-16
“An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech,” but the righteous escapes, and in verse 14 speech fills a man with good. The fool's way is “right in his own eyes,” but “a wise man listens to counsel,” wise for his willingness to be corrected.
This site's exposition
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes
The fool trusts his own eyes, and the wise man listens to counsel. The verse returns to the chapter's opening line, where loving discipline is loving knowledge. A man grows only as far as he will be taught.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
From the fruit of a man’s mouth From the reward of the mouth of those who engage in the Torah, they eat the good of this world, and the principal remains intact for them for the world to come.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
A fool’s anger is known within the day On the day he is angry, on that very day he lets his anger be known, for he starts a quarrel and berates his fellow in public, and his anger has no restraint.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| דֶּ֣רֶךְ | derekh | [the] way of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| אֱ֭וִיל | ʾevil | a fool | H191 → | 26 times |
| יָשָׁ֣ר | yashar | [is] right | H3477 → | 119 times |
| בְּעֵינָ֑יו | beeinav | in own eyes his | H5869 → | 887 times |
| וְשֹׁמֵ֖עַ | veshomea' | and [one who] listens | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| לְעֵצָ֣ה | leetzah | to advice | H6098 → | 89 times |
| חָכָֽם׃ | chakham | [is] wise | H2450 → | 138 times |
דֶּ֣רֶךְ[the] way of
derekhH1870 →707 times
אֱ֭וִילa fool
ʾevilH191 →26 times
יָשָׁ֣ר[is] right
yasharH3477 →119 times
בְּעֵינָ֑יוin own eyes his
beeinavH5869 →887 times
וְשֹׁמֵ֖עַand [one who] listens
veshomea'H8085 →1159 times
לְעֵצָ֣הto advice
leetzahH6098 →89 times
חָכָֽם׃[is] wise
chakhamH2450 →138 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 3:7Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
it leads to
- Romans 12:16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Job 28:28
And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- Proverbs 26:12
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- Romans 12:16
Through
Proverbs 14:12There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
it leads to
- Proverbs 16:25
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
- Matthew 7:13–14
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
- Galatians 6:3
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
- Luke 13:24
“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.
- Romans 6:21
What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.
- Proverbs 16:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Proverbs
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.