Proverbs 26:16
New International Version
A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.

New Living Translation
Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors.

English Standard Version
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

Berean Standard Bible
The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.

King James Bible
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

New King James Version
The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly.

New American Standard Bible
A lazy one is wiser in his own eyes Than seven people who can give a discreet answer.

NASB 1995
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can give a discreet answer.

NASB 1977
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can give a discreet answer.

Legacy Standard Bible
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can respond with a discreet answer.

Amplified Bible
The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes Than seven [sensible] men who can give a discreet answer.

Christian Standard Bible
In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser than seven who can answer sensibly.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser than seven men who can answer sensibly.

American Standard Version
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit Than seven men that can render a reason.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The lazy one is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who make sense.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A sluggard seems to himself wiser than one who most satisfactorily brings back a message.

Contemporary English Version
A lazy person says, "I am smarter than everyone else."

Douay-Rheims Bible
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that speak sentences.

English Revised Version
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A lazy person thinks he is wiser than seven people who give a sensible answer.

Good News Translation
A lazy person will think he is smarter than seven men who can give good reasons for their opinions.

International Standard Version
The lazy person is wiser in his own opinion than seven men who can give an appropriate response.

JPS Tanakh 1917
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men that give wise answer.

Literal Standard Version
Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, | Than seven [men] returning a reason.

Majority Standard Bible
The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.

New American Bible
In their own eyes sluggards are wiser than seven who answer with good judgment.

NET Bible
The sluggard is wiser in his own estimation than seven people who respond with good sense.

New Revised Standard Version
The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem than seven who can answer discreetly.

New Heart English Bible
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.

Webster's Bible Translation
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

World English Bible
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.

Young's Literal Translation
Wiser is the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven men returning a reason.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Similitudes and Instructions
15The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. 16The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly. 17Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.…

Cross References
Proverbs 6:6
Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.

Proverbs 27:11
Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, so that I can answer him who taunts me.


Treasury of Scripture

The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

Proverbs 26:12
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

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Proverbs 26
1. observations about fools
13. about sluggards
17. and about contentious busybodies














(16) Seven men.--A round number. (Comp. Proverbs 26:25; Proverbs 6:31; Proverbs 24:16.)

That can render a reason--i.e., give a sensible judgment on any matter submitted to them.

Verse 16. - The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit. The sluggard is here one who is too idle to think a matter out, and considers his own cursory view as sure to be right. He is one who deems study to be an unnecessary weariness of the flesh (Ecclesiastes 12:12), and flatters himself that he is quite able without it to give a satisfactory account of any question presented to him. Than seven men that can render a reason. "Seven" is the number of completeness (comp. Proverbs 6:31; Proverbs 9:1; Proverbs 24:16). The idle fool sets more value by his own judgment than by the sense of any number of wise men. Revised Version margin, "that can answer discreetly," is perhaps nearer the Hebrew, which implies the being able to return a wise and proper answer to anything asked of them. The LXX. reading a little differently, renders, "Wiser seems a sluggard to himself than one who in satiety (ἐν πλησμονῇ) brings back a message." This is explained to mean that a sluggard thinks himself wise in not helping a neighbour with an errand or a message, though he would have probably been repaid with a good dinner for his kindness.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The sluggard
עָצֵ֣ל (‘ā·ṣêl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6102: Sluggish, lazy

[is] wiser
חָכָ֣ם (ḥā·ḵām)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2450: Wise

in his own eyes
בְּעֵינָ֑יו (bə·‘ê·nāw)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

than seven men
מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה (miš·šiḇ·‘āh)
Preposition-m | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 7651: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number

who answer
מְשִׁ֣יבֵי (mə·šî·ḇê)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

discreetly.
טָֽעַם׃ (ṭā·‘am)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2940: A taste, perception, intelligence, a mandate


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 26:15
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