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--color-end: var(--bgcolor-content-end);" ><div class="content"> <div class="label gradient-to-tr" style="--color-start: #96445a; --color-end: #6f637e;">Question</div> <div class="sponsor-sidebar"><div class="desktop-show" align="center"><div class="adManager-placeholder"></div></div></div> <h1><span itemprop="name headline" property="og:title">What is a fool according to the book of Proverbs?</span></h1> <div class="actions-wrap"><div class="actions"> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="INTL/fool-Proverbs.html" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'intl'});"><img src="img/translate-icon.svg" alt="translate"></a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://printer.gotquestions.net/GeneratePF?articleId=16102" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'print'});"><img src="img/print.svg" class="questionInteract" alt="fool Proverbs"></a> <span class="audio-icon"><img src="img/volume.svg" alt="audio" class="questionInteract"><audio controls preload="none" style="width:300px;height:25px"><source src="audio/fool-Proverbs.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"></audio></span> </div></div> <div itemprop="articleBody"> <div class="label gradient-to-tr" style="--color-start: #29a699; --color-end: #749c5a;">Answer</div><br><br> The word <em>fool</em> appears forty times in the ESV version of <a href="Book-of-Proverbs.html">Proverbs</a>. The ways of the fool are often contrasted with the ways of the wise. In modern usage a “fool” can be a “dupe,” an “ignoramus,” or just a “ridiculous person,” but how is a “fool” defined in Proverbs?<br><br> A look at some of the occurrences of the word <i>fool</i> in Proverbs helps provide an explanation. Proverbs 10:8 refers to a “babbling fool.” One trait of a fool is that he is a constant talker who is not known for listening to wisdom (see also 10:10).<br><br> Proverbs 10:14 states, “The mouth of a fool brings ruin near.” This contrasts the speech of the fool with the knowledge of the wise. A fool does not care about learning. He’s too busy talking.<br><br> Proverbs 10:18 teaches, “Whoever utters slander is a fool.” The fool will speak poorly of other people rather than be known as an encourager.<br><br> Proverbs 10:23 adds that “doing wrong is like a joke to a fool.” A foolish person does not take sin or its consequences seriously.<br><br> Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” The fool rejects the advice of others and instead listens only to himself.<br><br> Proverbs 13:16 notes, “A fool flaunts his folly.” In other words, a foolish person is proud of his wrong actions.<br><br> Proverbs 14:16 teaches that “a fool is reckless and careless.” A fool does not plan ahead but rather lives life without considering the impact his actions have on himself and others.<br><br> Proverbs 15:5 shows that “a fool despises his father’s instruction.” The foolish person will not listen to his parents or obey them. In fact, he spurns what his father says.<br><br> Proverbs 26:11 uses <a href="emblematic-parallelism.html">emblematic parallelism</a> to graphically illustrate the behavior of fools: “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.” A fool is known for repeating mistakes rather than learning from past wrongs.<br><br> Often in Scripture, a fool is associated with wickedness and a direct denial of God (e.g., in Psalm 53:1). Because God has infinite wisdom, the person who neglects God will naturally miss out on wisdom—he will become a fool. A fool is anyone who does not follow the warnings and commands of God. A fool lacks wisdom, has no concern for others, does not desire to avoid sin, and brags about his sinful actions. The Scripture is clear we are to avoid living as a fool; rather, we are to fear the Lord, walk in His wisdom, and follow His ways. We know that “those who walk in wisdom are kept safe” (Proverbs 28:26).<br><br> </div> <section class="homepage-sponsor desktop-hide"> <div class="desktop-hide" align="center"><div class="adManager-placeholder-mobile"></div></div> </section> <div class="related resources"><h4>For Further Study</h4> <a target="_blank" rel="sponsored noopener" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'amazon'});" href="https://amzn.to/4c6oIZi">Proverbs: Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom & Psalms by Tremper Longman III</a><br><br> <a target="_blank" rel="sponsored noopener" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'logos'});" href="https://www.logos.com/?utm_campaign=logossubxlaunch-phase1&utm_source=gotquestions&utm_medium=advertising_display&utm_content=logossubxlaunch-phase1-gtlink">More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!</a> </div> <div class="related topics"><h4>Related Articles</h4> <a href="Bible-foolishness.html">What does the Bible say about foolishness?</a><br><br> <a href="fool-Bible.html">How does the Bible describe a fool?</a><br><br> <a href="wisdom-knowledge.html">What is wisdom? What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?</a><br><br> <a href="King-Lemuel.html">Who was King Lemuel in Proverbs 31?</a><br><br> <a href="fools-despise-wisdom.html">Why do fools despise wisdom (Proverbs 1:7)?</a> </div> <center><strong class="return">Return to:<br><br> <a class="button-link box-shadow" href="questions-about-Proverbs.html">Questions about Proverbs</a><br><br> What is a fool according to the book of Proverbs?</strong></center> </div> </section> <section class="subscribe gradient-to-br" style="--color-start: #153c59; --color-end: #1b537c"> <div class="grid"> <div class="gradient-to-br box-shadow" style="--color-start: #2c6482; --color-end: #64547b"> <h5>Subscribe to the</h5> <h3>Question of the Week</h3> <p>Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox!</p> <iframe src="scommon/qotw.htm" title="question of the week" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%"></iframe> </div></div> </section> </main> <footer-element></footer-element> <center> <div itemprop="dateModified" content="2022-01-04">This page last updated: January 4, 2022</div></center> <script src="scripts-2025.js"></script> <div style="display: none;" itemprop="publisher" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Organization"><meta itemprop="name" content="GotQuestions.org"><div itemprop="logo" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject"> <img src="https://www.gotquestions.org/img/GQlogo.png"><meta itemprop="url" content="https://www.gotquestions.org/img/GQlogo.png"><meta itemprop="width" content="400"><meta itemprop="height" content="79"> </div></div> </body> </html>