Proverbs 15:21

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Folly is joy to him that is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding maketh straight his going.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אִ֭וֶּלֶת שִׂמְחָ֣ה לַחֲסַר־לֵ֑ב וְאִ֥ישׁ תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה יְיַשֶׁר־לָֽכֶת׃

Transliteration

ʾiwwelet śimḥāh laḥăsar-lēḇ wəʾîš təḇûnāh yəyaššer-lāḵet

Grammar Details

*ʾiwwelet*: noun, feminine singular - folly/foolishness
*śimḥāh*: noun, feminine singular - joy/gladness
*laḥăsar*: preposition + adjective, masculine singular construct - to lacking of
*lēḇ*: noun, masculine singular - heart/understanding
*wəʾîš*: conjunction + noun, masculine singular construct - but man of
*təḇûnāh*: noun, feminine singular - understanding/discernment
*yəyaššer*: piel imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - makes straight/directs
*lāḵet*: qal infinitive construct - walking/going

Word Meanings

*ʾiwwelet śimḥāh*: folly is joy/foolishness is pleasure
*laḥăsar-lēḇ*: to one lacking heart/for one without understanding
*wəʾîš təḇûnāh*: but man of understanding/yet person of discernment
*yəyaššer-lāḵet*: makes straight his walking/directs his steps

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

ESVNIVCSBNLTNASBNET

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Prov 10:23 : 23 It is as sport to a fool to do wickedness; And [so is] wisdom to a man of understanding.
Eph 5:15 : 15 Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise;
Jas 3:13 : 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom.
Job 28:28 : 28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.
Ps 111:10 : 10 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all they that do [his commandments]: His praise endureth for ever.
Prov 11:12 : 12 He that despiseth his neighbor is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
Prov 14:9 : 9 A trespass-offering mocketh fools; But among the upright there is good will.
Prov 14:16 : 16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; But the fool beareth himself insolently, and is confident.
Prov 26:18-19 : 18 As a madman who casteth firebrands, Arrows, and death, 19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor, And saith, Am not I in sport?

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Prov 15:20
83%
20A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish man despiseth his mother.
Prov 14:6-9
4 verses
83%
6A scoffer seeketh wisdom, and [findeth it] not; But knowledge is easy unto him that hath understanding.
7Go into the presence of a foolish man, And thou shalt not perceive [in him] the lips of knowledge.
8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way; But the folly of fools is deceit.
9A trespass-offering mocketh fools; But among the upright there is good will.
Prov 10:23
82%
23It is as sport to a fool to do wickedness; And [so is] wisdom to a man of understanding.
Prov 12:15-16
2 verses
81%
15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; But he that is wise hearkeneth unto counsel.
16A fool's vexation is presently known; But a prudent man concealeth shame.
Prov 17:21
80%
21He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow; And the father of a fool hath no joy.
Prov 13:16
80%
16Every prudent man worketh with knowledge; But a fool flaunteth [his] folly.
Prov 16:22
80%
22Understanding is a well-spring of life unto him that hath it; But the correction of fools is [their] folly.
Prov 18:2
80%
2A fool hath no delight in understanding, But only that his heart may reveal itself.
Prov 13:20
79%
20Walk with wise men, and thou shalt be wise; But the companion of fools shall smart for it.
Prov 14:33
79%
33Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding; But [that which is] in the inward part of fools is made known.
Eccl 10:3
78%
3Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one [that] he is a fool.
Prov 17:24-25
2 verses
78%
24Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
25A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.
Prov 15:14
78%
14The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge; But the mouth of fools feedeth on folly.
Prov 19:1-3
3 verses
78%
1Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity Than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
2Also, that the soul be without knowledge is not good; And he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
3The foolishness of man subverteth his way; And his heart fretteth against Jehovah.
Prov 14:15-18
4 verses
78%
15The simple believeth every word; But the prudent man looketh well to his going.
16A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; But the fool beareth himself insolently, and is confident.
17He that is soon angry will deal foolishly; And a man of wicked devices is hated.
18The simple inherit folly; But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Prov 14:24
78%
24The crown of the wise is their riches; [But] the folly of fools is [only] folly.
Prov 15:5
78%
5A fool despiseth his father's correction; But he that regardeth reproof getteth prudence.
Prov 21:20
77%
20There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; But a foolish man swalloweth it up.
Prov 21:16
76%
16The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
Eccl 2:14
76%
14The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
Eccl 10:15
76%
15The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city.
Prov 10:8-9
2 verses
76%
8The wise in heart will receive commandments; But a prating fool shall fall.
9He that walketh uprightly walketh surely; But he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
Prov 3:13
76%
13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, And the man that getteth understanding.
Prov 15:22
76%
22Where there is no counsel, purposes are disappointed; But in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
Prov 12:23
76%
23A prudent man concealeth knowledge; But the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.
Eccl 7:4
76%
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Prov 10:1
75%
1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
Prov 10:14
75%
14Wise men lay up knowledge; But the mouth of the foolish is a present destruction.
Prov 17:16
75%
16Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, Seeing he hath no understanding?
Eccl 7:6
75%
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Prov 22:15
75%
15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; [But] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Prov 19:10
75%
10Delicate living is not seemly for a fool; Much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
Prov 14:3
75%
3In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for [his] pride; But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
Eccl 6:8
75%
8For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? [or] what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?
Prov 5:23
75%
23He shall die for lack of instruction; And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
Prov 11:29
75%
29He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind; And the foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.
Prov 1:32
75%
32For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.
Prov 26:5
75%
5Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Prov 24:7
74%
7Wisdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate.