Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.
Parallel Translations
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Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.
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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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Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed as a man of understanding.
Cross-references (5)
Passages linked to Proverbs 17:28 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Job 13:5 Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.
- Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of fools gush out folly.
- Ecclesiastes 10:14 A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?
- Ecclesiastes 5:3 For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.
- Ecclesiastes 10:3 Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (9 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 17:28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his…
Pro 17:28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: [and] he that shutteth his lips [is esteemed] a man of understanding.
Ver. 28. Even a fool when he holdeth his peace, &c.]
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“πας τις απαιδευτος φρονιμωτατος εστι σιωπιων.”
"Oh that you would altogether hold your peace, and it should be your wisdom," saith Job to his friends that spake much, but said little {Job 13:5}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Is counted wise, because he is sensible of his…
Is counted wise, because he is sensible of his own folly, and therefore forbears to speak, lest he should discover it; which is a great point of true wisdom.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is…
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise,.... Not only one that is sparing of his words, and is really a man of knowledge and understanding; but even a feel, if he is but silent, and does not betray his folly by his words, will be reckoned a wise man by those that do not know him; and, whatever fool he may be in other respects, yet in this he acts the wise part, that he holds his peace and says nothing;
and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding; and keeps them shut, lest he should say anything rashly and hastily; a man that has so much command of himself as not to speak unadvisedly, through the heat of his own passions, and through the provocations of others, will pass for a man that understands himself, and knows how to behave well before others.
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Next: Proverbs Chapter 18
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 28. Even a fool] He is counted wise…
Verse 28. Even 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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Is esteemed - Or, “is” (simply). The maxim would…
Is esteemed - Or, “is” (simply). The maxim would imply that silence is in any case good.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 28. Is esteemed a man of understanding — Of…
28. Is esteemed a man of understanding — Of discernment, discreetness. Miller renders freely, but neatly, “Even a fool is counted wise if he hold his peace; a man of discernment if he shut his lips.” Compare Job_13:5; Pro_10:19. It is observable that through this book a prudent restraint in speaking is highly commended. How often, in deliberative bodies, do men forfeit all respect, and loose all influence, by too much talking. The overweening vanity of some men prompts them to speak on every subject, as though nothing could be rightly done without the light of their wisdom.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 28. he that shutteth &c.] Or, with R.V. text,…
28. he that shutteth &c.] Or, with R.V. text, when he (i.e. the fool of the former clause of the verse) shutteth … he is esteemed as prudent. Mr Horton (Book of Proverbs, p. 177) quotes the old Norse proverb,
“An unwise man when he comes among the people
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Had best be silent: no one knows
That he nothing knows, unless he talks too much.”
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is…
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise. Not betraying his ignorance and incapacity by words, a foolish man is credited with possessing sense. (comp. Job_13:5) Proverbs to this effect are found in all languages. Thus the Greek Pav tiv apaideutov fronimwtatov esti siwpwn ..
Cato, "Dist.," 1:3"Virtutem primam esse puta compescere linguam; Proximus ille Deo qui scit ratione tacere.
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Talmud, "Silence becomes the wise, much more feels." The Dutch have appropriated this maxim, "Zweigen de dwazen zij waren wijs, .... Were fools silent, they would pass for wise." "Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses." "Silence," says the Sanskrit gnome, "is the ornament of the ignorant." "Talking comes by nature," say the Germans, "silence of understanding." The LXX gives a different turn to the first clause: "A foolish man inquiring of wisdom will have wisdom imputed to him;" the expressed desire of knowledge will be taken as a proof of intelligence. The second clause is coordinate with the former. He that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding; Revised Version, when he shutteth his lips, he is esteemed as prudent; Septuagint, "A man making himself dumb will seem to be prudent." Theophrastus is said to have thus addressed a guest who was very silent at table: "If you are a fool, you act wisely; if you are wise, you act foolishly." "Let every man," says St. James, (Jam_1:19) "be swift to hear, slow to speak."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain v. 28. Even a fool, when he holdeth his…
v. 28. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise, and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding, this being an admonition to the foolish at least to abstain from making known his lack of wisdom and thus to maintain a reputation for common sense, if he can do nothing more.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.