Proverbs 17:28
in Proverbs 17Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; When he shutteth his lips, he is esteemed as prudent.
KJV
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
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This verse in Proverbs 17
Commentary
11 notes on this verseEven a fool - He is counted wise as to that particular. He may know that he cannot speak well, and he has sense enough to keep from speaking. He is, as to that particular, a wise fool. A man may be golden-mouthed and silver-tongued in eloquence; but to know when and where to speak and to be silent, is better than diamonds. But who that thinks he can speak well can refrain from speaking? His tongue has no rest.
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
They said of Agatho that for three years he kept a stone in his mouth in order to teach himself silence.
This site's exposition
A man of knowledge restrains his words
on Proverbs 17:27-28
"A man of knowledge restrains his words," and "a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit." Even a fool who keeps silent "is considered wise." Holding his tongue earns him a name for discernment he has not earned, and so appearance and substance can be mistaken for each other.
This site's exposition
Even a fool is considered wise
Gregory the Dialogist compares the silent fool to a house with the door shut, where no one knows who waits inside. Adam Clarke calls the fool wise in that one particular, knowing to hold his tongue. Silence hides folly until his works reveal it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
proposed
They said of Agatho that some people went to him because they heard he was a man of great discretion. Wanting to test whether he was irritable, they said to him, 'Are you Agatho? We have heard of you that you are an adulterer and …
It belongs to the understanding to discern the distinctions and the drift of questions; and it is a main part of knowledge to understand how ignorant you are. Wherefore it is said that "if a fool asks questions, it will be accounted wisdom," because, although one who asks questions is ignorant of the answer to the question raised, yet as he wisely asks, and learns what he does not know, this very fact will be counted as wisdom in him, because he wisely discovers what he was ignorant of.
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
proposed
Some brothers from Scetis wanted to visit Antony, and set out in a ship to go there. On board they met an old man who also wanted to go to Antony, but he did not belong to their party. During the voyage they talked about …
The Medieval Church2 voices
As in a house, when the door is shut, it is not known what members there are hidden within, so, generally speaking, if a fool hold his peace, it is hidden whether he be wise or foolish, only, however, if no other works come to light, which may speak the mind even of one that is silent. For this reason the holy man, seeing that his friends were anxious to appear what they were not, charged them to hold their peace, that they might not appear what they were.
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 9 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
So great is the closeness between silence and wisdom that "the fool, if he keeps silent, will be reputed wise:" and the wise man who speaks much is reputed a fool. In a single word one can utter a detraction; for this reason one must …
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Is esteemed - Or, “is” (simply). The maxim would imply that silence is in any case good.
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| גַּ֤ם | gam | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אֱוִ֣יל | ʾevil | a fool | H191 → | 26 times |
| מַ֭חֲרִישׁ | macharish | [who] keeps silent | H2790 → | 74 times |
| חָכָ֣ם | chakham | wise | H2450 → | 138 times |
| יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב | yechashev | he is considered | H2803 → | 124 times |
| אֹטֵ֖ם | ʾotem | [who] shuts | H331 → | |
| שְׂפָתָ֣יו | sefatav | lips his | H8193 → | 176 times |
| נָבֽוֹן׃ | navon | discerning | H995 → | 170 times |
גַּ֤םalso
gamH1571 →769 times
אֱוִ֣ילa fool
ʾevilH191 →26 times
מַ֭חֲרִישׁ[who] keeps silent
macharishH2790 →74 times
חָכָ֣םwise
chakhamH2450 →138 times
יֵחָשֵׁ֑בhe is considered
yechashevH2803 →124 times
אֹטֵ֖ם[who] shuts
ʾotemH331 →
שְׂפָתָ֣יוlips his
sefatavH8193 →176 times
נָבֽוֹן׃discerning
navonH995 →170 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
Ecclesiastes 5:3As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12–14
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
- Proverbs 15:2
Through
Ecclesiastes 10:14Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 5:3
As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Ecclesiastes 5:3
Through
Proverbs 15:2The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.
it leads to
- Proverbs 13:16
Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool displays his folly.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 12:23
A shrewd man keeps his knowledge to himself, but a foolish heart proclaims its folly.
- Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil.
- Proverbs 13:16
Through
Ecclesiastes 10:3Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
it leads to
- Proverbs 18:2
A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions.
- Proverbs 18:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Proverbs
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 9; Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job 11.35; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 4:9; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).