fools

And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.

I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:

Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?

Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.

Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.

Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouths of fools.

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.

And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?

Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

We fools accounted his life madness, and his end to be without honour:

The sight whereof enticeth fools to lust after it, and so they desire the form of a dead image, that hath no breath.

A wise man by his words maketh him beloved: but the graces of fools shall be poured out.

Doctrine unto fools is as fetters on the feet, and like manacles on the right hand.

The heart of fools is in their mouth: but the mouth of the wise is in their heart.

The discourse of fools is irksome, and their sport is the wantonness of sin.

The hopes of a man void of understanding are vain and false: and dreams lift up fools.

So he standing in the midst of them said, Are ye such fools, ye sons of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth ye have condemned a daughter of Israel?

Let us therefore serve God with a pure heart, and we shall be righteous; but if we do not serve Him, because we believe not the promise of God, we shall be miserable. For the prophetic word also declares, “Wretched are those of a double mind, and who doubt in their heart, who say, All these things have we heard even in the times of our fathers; but though we have waited day by day, we have seen none of them [accomplished]. Ye fools! compare yourselves to a tree; take, for instance, the vine. First of all it sheds its leaves, then the bud appears; after that the sour grape, and then the fully-ripened fruit. So, likewise, my people have borne disturbances and afflictions, but afterwards shall they receive their good things.” Wherefore, my brethren, let us not be of a double mind, but let us hope and endure, that we also may obtain the reward. For He is faithful who has promised that He will bestow on every one a reward according to his works. If, therefore, we shall do righteousness in the sight of God, we shall enter into His kingdom, and shall receive the promises, “which ear hath not heard, nor eye seen, neither have entered into the heart of man.”

O my son! if water would stand still in heaven, and a black crow become white, and myrrh grow sweet as honey, then ignorant men and fools might understand and become wise.