Proverbs 23:9
Do not speak into the ears of the unwise. They will despise the doctrine of your eloquence.
Catholic Public Domain Version
In The King James Version
Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
In Context
8The foods that you had eaten, you will vomit up. And you will lose the beauty in your words.
10Do not touch the boundaries of little ones, and do not enter into the field of the fatherless.
Cross References
Proverbs 1:7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine.
Proverbs 9:8Do not be willing to argue with a mocker, lest he hate you. Dispute with the wise, and he will love you.
Isaiah 36:21And they remained silent and did not answer a word to him. For the king had commanded them, saying, “You shall not respond to him.”
Luke 16:14But the Pharisees, who were greedy, were listening to all these things. And they ridiculed him.
John 9:30The man responded and said to them: “Now in this is a wonder: that you do not know where he is from, and yet he has opened my eyes.
John 10:20Then many of them were saying: “He has a demon or he is insane. Why do you listen him?”
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 23:7-9
6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: 7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. 8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. Those that are voluptuous and given to appetite ( v. 2 ) are glad to be where there is good cheer stirring, and those that are covetous and saving, that they may spare at home, will be glad to get a dinner at another man's table; and… Read the whole commentary →