Lexicon :: Strong's H200 - 'iûeleṯ

My wounds are loathsome and foul

Because of my foolishness.

O God, You know my folly;

My wrongs are not hidden from You.

He will die for lack of instruction (discipline),

And in the greatness of his foolishness he will go astray and be lost.

A shrewd man is reluctant to display his knowledge [until the proper time],

But the heart of [over-confident] fools proclaims foolishness.

Every prudent and self-disciplined man acts with knowledge,

But a [closed-minded] fool [who refuses to learn] displays his foolishness [for all to see].

The wise woman builds her house [on a foundation of godly precepts, and her household thrives],

But the foolish one [who lacks spiritual insight] tears it down with her own hands [by ignoring godly principles].

The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,

But the foolishness of [shortsighted] fools is deceit.

A quick-tempered man acts foolishly and without self-control,

And a man of wicked schemes is hated.

The crown of the wise is their wealth [of wisdom],

But the foolishness of [closed-minded] fools is [nothing but] folly.

He who is slow to anger has great understanding [and profits from his self-control],

But he who is quick-tempered exposes and exalts his foolishness [for all to see].

The tongue of the wise speaks knowledge that is pleasing and acceptable,

But the [babbling] mouth of fools spouts folly.

The mind of the intelligent and discerning seeks knowledge and eagerly inquires after it,

But the mouth of the [stubborn] fool feeds on foolishness.

Foolishness is joy to him who is without heart and lacks [intelligent, common] sense,

But a man of understanding walks uprightly [making his course straight].

Understanding (spiritual insight) is a [refreshing and boundless] wellspring of life to those who have it,

But to give instruction and correction to fools is foolishness.

Let a man meet a [ferocious] bear robbed of her cubs

Rather than the [angry, narcissistic] fool in his folly.

He who answers before he hears [the facts]—

It is folly and shame to him.

The foolishness of man undermines his way [ruining whatever he undertakes];

Then his heart is resentful and rages against the LORD [for, being a fool, he blames the LORD instead of himself].

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;

The rod of discipline [correction administered with godly wisdom and lovingkindness] will remove it far from him.

The devising of folly is sin,

And the scoffer is repulsive to men.

Do not answer [nor pretend to agree with the frivolous comments of] a [closed-minded] fool according to his folly,

Otherwise you, even you, will be like him.

Like a dog that returns to his vomit

Is a fool who repeats his foolishness.

Even though you pound a [hardened, arrogant] fool [who rejects wisdom] in a mortar with a pestle like grain,

Yet his foolishness will not leave him.