On wise men and fools

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Def. Wisdom. The power of judging rightly and following the soundest course of action, based on knowledge, experience, understanding, etc.; good judgment; discretion; sagacity.

Syn. sense, common sense, shrewdness, judgment, prudence

Def. Fool. A person with little or no judgment, common sense, wisdom, etc.; silly person; simpleton.

Webster’s New World Dictionary

Are there telltale signs that allow one to tell a wise man from a fool? Are there habits, conduct, or behavior that constitute giveaways for a fool and inform us of a wise man?

1. The fear of the Lord; upright living

The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil

is understanding.

Job 28:28

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:

and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Prov 9:10

Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but

a man of understanding walks uprightly.

Prov 15:21

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

Psalms 14:1

A wise man fears and departs from evil,

But a fool rages and is self-confident.

Prov 14:16

2. The restraint of the tongue

He who has understanding spares his words,

And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.

Proverbs 17:27

In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,

But he who restrains his lips is wise.

Proverbs 10:19

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,

And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

Proverbs 19:11

A fool vents all his feelings,

But a wise man holds them back.

Proverbs 29:11

Do you see a man hasty in his words?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Proverbs 29:20

It is only reason that teaches silence; the heart teaches us to

speak.

Richter

It is better to be silent, or to say things of more value than

silence. Sooner throw a pearl at hazard than an idle or

useless word; and do not say a little in many words, but a

great deal in a few.

Pythagoras

I think the first virtue is to restrain the tongue; he

approaches nearest to the gods who knows how to be silent, even

though he is in the right.

Cato

The wise man has long ears, big eyes and a short tongue.

Russian Proverb

The empty vessel makes the greatest sound.

Shakespeare

Words are like leaves; and where they most abound, much fruit of

sense beneath is rarely found.

Pope

Talking comes by nature, silence by wisdom.

The chameleon, who is said to feed upon nothing but air, has of

all animals the nimblest tongue.

Swift

Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice.

Shakespeare

Those who know much speak little; those who speak much know

little.

Chinese Proverb

A fool's voice is known by a multitude of words.

Eccl. 5:7

Who knows most says least.

Great boaster, little doer.

The tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil --- full of

deadly poison.

James 3:8

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from

troubles.

Prov. 21:23

There is that speaketh like the piercing of a sword; but the

tongue of the wise is health.

Prov. 12:18

He that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

Prov. 17:20

Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in few words; be as

one that knoweth and yet holdeth his tongue.

When insolence provoketh, when slander false accuseth,

When ignorance and prejudice are full of idle talk,

Let silence be the answer on thy lip and in thy life.

A man of silence is a man of sense.

A tame tongue is a rare bird.

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be like

unto him.

Prov. 26:4

Speaking much is a sign of vanity, for he that is lavish in

words is niggard in deed.

Sir W. Raleigh

Those who have few affairs to attend to are great speakers.

The less men think, the more they talk.

Montesquieu

He loves to hear himself talk, and will speak more in a minute

than he will stand to in a month.

Shakespeare

They always talk who never think, and who have the least to

say.

Prior

When we advance a little into life, we find that the tongue of

man creates nearly all the mischief of the world.

Paxton Hood

A wound from the tongue is worse than a wound from a sword; for

the latter affects only the body, the former the spirit.

Pythagoras

The tongue is but three inches long, yet it can kill a man six

feet high.

Japanese proverb

A tart temper never mellows with age; and a sharp tongue is the

only edged tool that grows keener and sharper with constant

use.

Washington Irving

We cannot control the evil tongues of others; but a good life

enables us to disregard them.

Cato

3. Thriftiness, frugality

A fool and his money are soon parted.

There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise;

but a foolish man spendeth it up.

Prov 21:20

Frugality may be termed the daughter of prudence, the sister of

temperance, and the parent of liberty. He that is extravagant

will quickly become poor, and poverty will enforce dependence

and invite corruption.

Johnson

Waste makes want.

Hope and expectation are a fool's income.

Economy is the parent of integrity, of liberty, and of ease;

and the beauteous sister of temperance, of cheerfulness, and

health; and profuseness is a cruel and crafty demon, that

gradually involves her followers in dependence and debts, and

so fetters them with irons that enter into their inmost souls.

Hawkesworth

Women and wine,

game and deceit,

Make the wealth small,

and the wants great.

Who dainties love, shall beggars prove.

Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them.

4. Humility

When pride comes, then comes shame;

But with the humble is wisdom.

Prov 11:2

By pride comes nothing but strife,

But with the well-advised is wisdom.

Prov 13:10

In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,

But the lips of the wise will preserve them.

Prov 14:3

The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom,

And before honor is humility.

Prov 15:33

The meek will he guide in judgment:

and the meek will he teach his way.

Psa 25:9

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;

Pride and arrogance and the evil way

And the perverse mouth I hate.

Prov 8:13

Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD;

Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.

Prov 16:5

Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before a fall.

Prov 16:18

Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,

And before honor is humility.

Prov 18:12

By humility and the fear of the LORD

Are riches and honor and life.

Prov 22:4

A man's pride will bring him low,

But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

Prov 29:23

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?

there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Prov 26:12

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that

shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Mat 23:12

For all those things hath mine hand made, and all

those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I

look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and

trembleth at my word.

Isa 66:2

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set

him in the midst of them, {3} And said, Verily I say unto you,

Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall

not enter into the kingdom of heaven. {4} Whosoever therefore

shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest

in the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 18:2-4

But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever

will be great among you, let him be your minister; And

whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Mat 20:26-27

5. Industry; diligence

Prov 24:30-34 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the

vineyard of the man void of understanding; {31} And, lo, it was

all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face

thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. {32} Then

I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received

instruction. {33} Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a

little folding of the hands to sleep: {34} So shall thy poverty

come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

Prov 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to

poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Prov 18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to

him that is a great waster.

Prov 19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an

idle soul shall suffer hunger.

Prov 20:4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold;

therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Prov 20:13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open

thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

Prov 22:29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he

shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

Sloth is the mother of poverty.

Laziness begins with cobwebs and ends with iron chains.

A lazy spirit is a losing spirit.

To do nothing teaches to do ill.

Standing pools gather filth.

Idleness is the root of all evil.

Idleness teacheth much evil.

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand:

But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Prov 10:4

Nov 2017