KJV ORIGINAL
Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Do you see someone who speaks too quickly without thinking? A fool has more hope than that person does.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is warning that people who speak rashly and impulsively are even worse off than fools because they cause more damage with their words.
📚 Historical Context
This proverb comes from the wisdom literature of ancient Israel, likely compiled during Solomon's reign or shortly after. In ancient Near Eastern culture, wise speech and careful consideration of words were highly valued virtues. The comparison to a 'fool' would have been particularly striking since fools were already considered the lowest category of unwise people in Hebrew wisdom literature.
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