NETBible | Even a fool who remains silent is considered 1 wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning. 2 |
NIV © |
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue. |
NASB © |
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. |
NLT © |
Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. |
MSG © |
Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise; as long as they keep their mouths shut, they're smart. |
BBE © |
Even the foolish man, when he keeps quiet, is taken to be wise: when his lips are shut he is credited with good sense. |
NRSV © |
Even fools who keep silent are considered wise; when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent. |
NKJV © |
Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. |
KJV | Even a fool <0191>_, when he holdeth his peace <02790> (8688)_, is counted <02803> (8735) wise <02450>_: [and] he that shutteth <0331> (8801) his lips <08193> [is esteemed] a man of understanding <0995> (8737)_. |
NASB © |
Even <1571> a fool <191> , when he keeps <2790> silent <2790> , is considered <2803> wise <2450> ; When he closes <331> his lips <8193> , he is considered prudent .<995> |
LXXM | anohtw <453> A-DSM eperwthsanti {V-AAPDS} sofian <4678> N-ASF sofia <4678> N-NSF logisyhsetai <3049> V-FPI-3S eneon <3501> A-ASM de <1161> PRT tiv <5100> I-NSM eauton <1438> D-ASM poihsav <4160> V-AAPNS doxei <1380> V-FAI-3S fronimov <5429> A-NSM einai <1510> V-PAN |
NET [draft] ITL | Even <01571> a fool <0191> who remains silent <02790> is considered <02803> wise <02450> , and the one who holds <0331> his tongue <08193> is deemed discerning .<0995> |
HEBREW | Nwbn <0995> wytpv <08193> Mja <0331> bsxy <02803> Mkx <02450> syrxm <02790> lywa <0191> Mg (17:28) <01571> |
NETBible | Even a fool who remains silent is considered 1 wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning. 2 |
NET Notes |
1 tn The imperfect tense here denotes possibility: One who holds his tongue [may be considered] discerning. 2 tn The Niphal participle is used in the declarative/estimative sense with stative verbs: “to be discerning” (Qal) becomes “to be declared discerning” (Niphal). The proverb is teaching that silence is one evidence of wisdom, and that even a fool can thereby appear wise. D. Kidner says that a fool who takes this advice is no longer a complete fool (Proverbs [TOTC], 127). He does not, of course, become wise – he just hides his folly. |