King James Version

Proverbs 17:16

Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

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Hebrew

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לָמָּהlamahto howמָהpreposition, particle, interrogative — “to how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.זֶּ֣הzehthe one...the otherזֶהpronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…מְחִ֣ירmechirpriceמְחִירnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “price”, the ordinary formH4242price, payment, wagesgain, hire, price, sold, worth.בְּיַדbeyadin handיָדpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “in hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […כְּסִ֑ילkesilfoolכְּסִילadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “fool”, the ordinary formH3684properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or sillyfool(-ish).לִקְנ֖וֹתliqnotto purchaseקָנָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to purchase”, the to-form of the verbH7069to erect, i.e. create; by extension, to procure, especially by purchase (causatively, sell); by implication to ownattain, buy(-er), teach to keep cattle, get, provoke to jealousy, possess(-or), purchase, recover, redeem, [idiom] surely, [idiom] verily.חָכְמָ֣הchakhemahwisdomחׇכְמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “wisdom”, the ordinary formH2451wisdom (in a good sense)skilful, wisdom, wisely, wit.וְלֶבvelevand comfortablyלֵבconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and comfortably”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything[phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom]…אָֽיִןayinelseאַיִןparticle, negative — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, seeing he hath no understanding?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, Seeing he hath no understanding?

Young’s Literal Translation

Why [is] this — a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?

World English Bible

Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?

Darby Translation

To what purpose is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing [he] hath no sense?

Douay-Rheims

What doth it avail a fool to have riches, seeing he cannot buy wisdom? He that maketh his house high, seeketh a downfall: and he that refuseth to learn, shall fall into evils.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, seeing he hath no understanding?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Why has the fool wealth? for a senseless man will not be able to purchase wisdom. a He that exalts his own house seeks ruin; and he that turns aside from instruction shall fall into mischiefs.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἱνατί ὑπῆρξε χρήματα ἄφρονι; κτήσασθαι γὰρ σοφίαν ἀκάρδιος οὐ δυνήσεται· a ὃς ὑψηλὸν ποιεῖ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ οἶκον, ζητεῖ συντριβήν· ὁ δὲ σκολιάζων τοῦ μαθεῖν, ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κακά.