Proverbs Chapter 14 verse 7 Holy Bible

ASV Proverbs 14:7

Go into the presence of a foolish man, And thou shalt not perceive `in him' the lips of knowledge.
read chapter 14 in ASV

BBE Proverbs 14:7

Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.
read chapter 14 in BBE

DARBY Proverbs 14:7

Go from the presence of a foolish man, in whom thou perceivest not the lips of knowledge.
read chapter 14 in DARBY

KJV Proverbs 14:7

Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
read chapter 14 in KJV

WBT Proverbs 14:7


read chapter 14 in WBT

WEB Proverbs 14:7

Stay away from a foolish man, For you won't find knowledge on his lips.
read chapter 14 in WEB

YLT Proverbs 14:7

Go from before a foolish man, Or thou hast not known the lips of knowledge.
read chapter 14 in YLT

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 7. - Go from the presence of a foolish man. There is some doubt about the rendering of this passage. The Vulgate gives, vade contra stultum, which is probably to be taken in the sense of the Authorized Version. The Revised Version has, "Go into the presence of a foolish man." The Hebrew מִנֶּגֶד (minneged) may mean "from before," "over against," "in the presence of." Hence arises an ambiguity. The Authorized Version considers the sentence to be an injunction to turn away from a stupid man when you perceive that you can do him no good. The Revised Version is equivalent to "if you go into the presence," etc. When thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge; Revised Version, and thou shalt not perceive in him, etc., which embodies a truism with no special point. The whole sentence is better translated, Go forth from the presence of a foolish man, and thou hast not known the lips of knowledge; i.e., as Nowack explains, "Leave the presence of a fool, and you carry nothing away with you; after all your intercourse with him, you quit his presence without having gained any advance in true knowledge" (see on Proverbs 20:15). The LXX. presents a very different version: "All things are adverse to a foolish man; but wise lips are the arms of knowledge (αἰσθήσεως)." A foolish man, by his inconsiderate, slanderous, or bitter words, makes every one his enemy; a wise man uses his knowledge to good purposes; his words are the instruments by which he shows what he is.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(7) Go from the presence of a foolish man--(khesil)--i.e. a dull, stupid one, when the time comes that you see you can do him no good; for "evil communications corrupt good manners." Thus Samuel "came no more to see Saul," when he saw that remonstrances were unavailing with him, though he continued to "mourn" for him, remembering from what high estate he had fallen.