Proverbs 23:9

Bible in Basic English (1941)

Say nothing in the hearing of a foolish man, for he will put no value on the wisdom of your words.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Matt 7:6 : 6 Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, or put your jewels before pigs, for fear that they will be crushed under foot by the pigs whose attack will then be made against you.
  • Luke 16:14 : 14 And the Pharisees, who had a great love of money, hearing these things, were making sport of him.
  • John 8:52 : 52 The Jews said to him, Now we are certain that you have an evil spirit. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead; and you say, If a man keeps my word he will never see death.
  • John 9:30-34 : 30 The man said in answer, Why, here is a strange thing! You have no knowledge where he comes from though he gave me the use of my eyes. 31 We have knowledge that God does not give ear to sinners, but if any man is a worshipper of God and does his pleasure, to him God's ears are open. 32 In all the years nobody has ever before seen the eyes of a man blind from birth made open. 33 If this man did not come from God he would be unable to do anything. 34 Their answer was: You came to birth through sin; do you make yourself our teacher? And they put him out of the Synagogue.
  • John 9:40 : 40 These words came to the ears of the Pharisees who were with him and they said to him, Are we, then, blind?
  • John 10:20 : 20 And a number of them said, He has an evil spirit and is out of his mind; why do you give ear to him?
  • Acts 13:45-46 : 45 But when the Jews saw such a great number of people, they were full of envy and said evil words against Paul's preaching. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas without fear said, It was necessary for the word of God to be given to you first; but because you will have nothing to do with it, and have no desire for eternal life, it will now be offered to the Gentiles.
  • Acts 17:18 : 18 And some of those who were supporters of the theories of the Epicureans and the Stoics, had a meeting with him. And some said, What is this talker of foolish words saying? And others, He seems to be a preacher of strange gods: because he was preaching of Jesus and his coming back from the dead.
  • Acts 17:32 : 32 Now on hearing about the coming back from death, some of them made sport of it, but others said, Let us go more fully into this another time.
  • Acts 28:25-28 : 25 And they went away, for there was a division among them after Paul had said this one thing: Well did the Holy Spirit say by the prophet Isaiah to your fathers, 26 Go to this people and say, Though you give ear, you will not get knowledge; and seeing, you will see, but the sense will not be clear to you: 27 For the heart of this people has become fat and their ears are slow in hearing and their eyes are shut; for fear that they might see with their eyes and give hearing with their ears and become wise in their hearts and be turned again to me, so that I might make them well. 28 Be certain, then, that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and they will give hearing.
  • 1 Cor 1:21-24 : 21 For because, by the purpose of God, the world, with all its wisdom, had not the knowledge of God, it was God's pleasure, by so foolish a thing as preaching, to give salvation to those who had faith in him. 22 Seeing that the Jews make request for signs, and the Greeks are looking for knowledge: 23 But we give the good news of Christ on the cross, a hard thing to the Jews, and a foolish thing to the Gentiles; 24 But to those of God's selection, Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power and the wisdom of God.
  • 1 Cor 4:10-13 : 10 We are made to seem foolish for Christ, but you are wise in Christ; we are feeble, but you are strong; you have glory, but we have shame. 11 Even to this hour we are without food, drink, and clothing, we are given blows and have no certain resting-place; 12 And with our hands we do the hardest work: when they give us curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly; 13 When evil things are said about us we give gentle answers: we are made as the unclean things of the world, as that for which no one has any use, even till now.
  • Prov 1:7 : 7 The fear of the Lord is the start of knowledge: but the foolish have no use for wisdom and teaching.
  • Prov 9:7-8 : 7 He who gives teaching to a man of pride gets shame for himself; he who says sharp words to a sinner gets a bad name. 8 Do not say sharp words to a man of pride, or he will have hate for you; make them clear to a wise man, and you will be dear to him.
  • Prov 26:4-5 : 4 Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him. 5 Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.
  • Isa 36:21 : 21 But they kept quiet and gave him no answer: for the king's order was, Give him no answer.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Prov 14:7-8
    2 verses
    81%

    7 Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.

    8 The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.

  • Prov 24:7
    80%

    7 Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.

  • Prov 26:4-7
    4 verses
    80%

    4 Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him.

    5 Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.

    6 He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage.

    7 The legs of one who has no power of walking are hanging loose; so is a wise saying in the mouth of the foolish.

  • Eccl 10:12-14
    3 verses
    78%

    12 The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.

    13 The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.

    14 The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?

  • Prov 12:23
    78%

    23 A sharp man keeps back his knowledge; but the heart of foolish men makes clear their foolish thoughts.

  • Prov 23:8
    78%

    8 The food which you have taken will come up again, and your pleasing words will be wasted.

  • Prov 29:11
    77%

    11 A foolish man lets out all his wrath, but a wise man keeps it back quietly.

  • Prov 10:8
    77%

    8 The wise-hearted man will let himself be ruled, but the man whose talk is foolish will have a fall.

  • Prov 14:3
    77%

    3 In the mouth of the foolish man is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.

  • Eccl 9:16-17
    2 verses
    77%

    16 Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is not respected, and his words are not given a hearing.

    17 The words of the wise which come quietly to the ear are noted more than the cry of a ruler among the foolish.

  • Prov 17:24
    77%

    24 Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.

  • Prov 15:2
    77%

    2 Knowledge is dropping from the tongue of the wise; but from the mouth of the foolish comes a stream of foolish words.

  • Eccl 10:3
    76%

    3 And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.

  • Prov 15:5
    76%

    5 A foolish man puts no value on his father's training; but he who has respect for teaching has good sense.

  • Prov 14:33
    76%

    33 Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.

  • Prov 12:15
    76%

    15 The way of the foolish man seems right to him? but the wise man gives ear to suggestions.

  • Prov 10:14
    76%

    14 Knowledge is stored up by the wise, but the mouth of the foolish man is a destruction which is near.

  • Prov 19:10
    76%

    10 Material comfort is not good for the foolish; much less for a servant to be put over rulers.

  • Prov 15:7
    76%

    7 The lips of the wise keep knowledge, but the heart of the foolish man is not right.

  • Prov 18:6-7
    2 verses
    75%

    6 A foolish man's lips are a cause of fighting, and his mouth makes him open to blows.

    7 The mouth of a foolish man is his destruction, and his lips are a net for his soul.

  • Eccl 7:5
    75%

    5 It is better to take note of the protest of the wise, than for a man to give ear to the song of the foolish.

  • Prov 15:14
    75%

    14 The heart of the man of good sense goes in search of knowledge, but foolish things are the food of the unwise.

  • Prov 29:20
    75%

    20 Have you seen a man who is quick with his tongue? There is more hope for a foolish man than for him.

  • Prov 26:9
    75%

    9 Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a man overcome by drink, so is a wise saying in the mouth of a foolish man.

  • Prov 10:18-19
    2 verses
    75%

    18 Hate is covered up by the lips of the upright man, but he who lets out evil about another is foolish.

    19 Where there is much talk there will be no end to sin, but he who keeps his mouth shut does wisely.

  • Prov 17:16
    75%

    16 How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?

  • Prov 19:1
    75%

    1 Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted.

  • Prov 17:7
    74%

    7 Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.

  • Prov 8:5
    74%

    5 Become expert in reason, O you simple ones; you foolish ones, take training to heart.

  • Prov 14:24
    74%

    24 Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.

  • Prov 13:16
    74%

    16 A sharp man does everything with knowledge, but a foolish man makes clear his foolish thoughts.

  • Prov 18:2
    74%

    2 A foolish man has no pleasure in good sense, but only to let what is in his heart come to light.

  • Prov 17:28
    74%

    28 Even the foolish man, when he keeps quiet, is taken to be wise: when his lips are shut he is credited with good sense.

  • Prov 9:6
    74%

    6 Give up the simple ones and have life, and go in the way of knowledge.

  • Prov 10:21
    74%

    21 The lips of the upright man give food to men, but the foolish come to death for need of sense.

  • Eccl 7:9
    73%

    9 Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish.

  • Prov 27:22
    73%

    22 Even if a foolish man is crushed with a hammer in a vessel among crushed grain, still his foolish ways will not go from him.

  • Ps 94:8
    73%

    8 Give your mind to my words, you who are without wisdom among the people; you foolish men, when will you be wise?

  • Prov 23:10
    73%

    10 Do not let the landmark of the widow be moved, and do not go into the fields of those who have no father;

  • Eccl 5:3
    73%

    3 When you take an oath before God, put it quickly into effect, because he has no pleasure in the foolish; keep the oath you have taken.