Proverbs 13:16
in Proverbs 13Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool displays his folly.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Every prudent man worketh with knowledge; But a fool flaunteth his folly.
KJV
Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.
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This verse in Proverbs 13
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Every prudent man acts with knowledge
on Proverbs 13:16-19
“Every prudent man acts with knowledge,” weighing what he says, while “a fool displays his folly” for anyone to see. The cluster closes on a near law of the soul: “Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but turning from evil is detestable to fools”.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
"The shrewd man does everything with counsel," etc. Where he teaches that everything should be done with counsel, he understands more the divine counsel, which is clothed with sacred words, than the human counsel. For he is foolish who lives outside this counsel, even if …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge,....
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עָ֭רוּם | ʾarum | sensible [person] | H6175 → | 11 times |
| יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה | yaaseh | he acts | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| בְדָ֑עַת | vedaat | with knowledge | H1847 → | 92 times |
| וּ֝כְסִ֗יל | ukhesil | and a fool | H3684 → | 70 times |
| יִפְרֹ֥שׂ | yifros | he spreads out | H6566 → | 67 times |
| אִוֶּֽלֶת׃ | ʾivelet | foolishness | H200 → | 25 times |
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
עָ֭רוּםsensible [person]
ʾarumH6175 →11 times
יַעֲשֶׂ֣הhe acts
yaasehH6213 →2628 times
בְדָ֑עַתwith knowledge
vedaatH1847 →92 times
וּ֝כְסִ֗ילand a fool
ukhesilH3684 →70 times
יִפְרֹ֥שׂhe spreads out
yifrosH6566 →67 times
אִוֶּֽלֶת׃foolishness
ʾiveletH200 →25 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
Ephesians 5:17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
it leads to
- Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of…
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
- Colossians 1:9
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and…
- Ephesians 5:15
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- Jeremiah 4:22
“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
- Romans 12:2
Through
Isaiah 52:13Behold, My Servant will prosper; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
it leads to
- Philippians 2:7–11
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.
- Matthew 28:18
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
- Philippians 2:7–11
Through
Proverbs 15:2The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.
it leads to
- Proverbs 12:23
A shrewd man keeps his knowledge to himself, but a foolish heart proclaims its folly.
- Proverbs 12:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Proverbs

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
