Proverbs 12:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

NIV: The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.

NASB: The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a person who listens to advice is wise.

CSB: A fool’s way is right in his own eyes, but whoever listens to counsel is wise.

NLT: Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

KJV: The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

NKJV: The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.

One of the primary hallmarks of a "fool," in Scripture, is summarized here. The root word 'eviyl, in Hebrew, means a hardened, thickheaded person who will not listen to reason. This is not a person lacking intelligence, but someone who refuses to let sound advice penetrate his head. The same concept is applied in Proverbs 1:7 as a fundamental reason why people don't respond to godly truth. Proverbs chapter 10 reflects this kind of "foolishness" multiple times.

A fool rejects the counsel nature provides that God exists (Romans 1:19–20). He convinces himself that there is no God. Psalm 14:1 declares, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" A person may have a PhD, but he is a fool if he denies the existence of God.

Furthermore, a person who trusts in riches instead of in God is a fool. In a parable, God called a certain rich farmer a fool because he trusted in a bountiful harvest instead of in God. God said to him, "Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?" (Luke 12:20). Proverbs 14:12 assures us "there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." By contrast, a wise man heeds advice. He accepts nature's testimony that God exists. He takes to heart the instruction Scripture gives him. He follows God's will and not his own.

Proverbs 12:12–23 continues Solomon's contrast of a wise righteous person and a wicked fool. In this segment, he focuses mainly on their different speech patterns. He points out that the words of a liar are an abomination to the Lord, whereas the Lord delights in the words of a wise person.

Proverbs 12 contains a series of contrasts between lifestyles, comparing those who honor God to those who reject His wisdom. The results of those decisions are also compared. This repeats several common themes from the book of Proverbs, such as the self-destructive nature of sin and God's distaste for those who lie.

Proverbs 12 continues Solomon's wise sayings. A large portion of the book of Proverbs includes these short, common sense pieces of advice. After a series of introductions and lessons in chapters 1—9, chapter 10 began a long list of individual statements. In this chapter he continues to contrast the righteous and the wicked, showing that the life of the righteous is far better than the life of the wicked. This pattern will continue, covering the same basic theme, through chapter 15.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.