King James Version

Proverbs 26:16

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

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Hebrew

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חָכָ֣םchakhamwise , manחָכָםadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “wise , man”, the ordinary formH2450wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)cunning (man), subtil, (un-), wise((hearted), man).עָצֵ֣לatselslothfulעָצֵלadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “slothful”, the ordinary formH6102indolentslothful, sluggard.בְּעֵינָ֑יוbeeynayvin eye , , -sightעַיִןpreposition, noun, common, both genders, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in eye , , -sight”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him…מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗הmishivahfrom sevenשֶׁבַעpreposition, adjective, cardinal, masculine, singular, absolute — “from seven”, the ordinary formH7651seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number([phrase] by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare H7658 (שִׁבְעָנָה).מְשִׁ֣יבֵיmeshiveagainשׁוּבverb, hiphil, participle, construct — “again”, a verb used as a describing wordH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…טָֽעַםtaamtasteטַעַםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “taste”, the ordinary formH2940properly, a taste, i.e. (figuratively) perception; by implication, intelligence; transitively, a mandateadvice, behaviour, decree, discretion, judgment, reason, taste, understanding.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men that give wise answer.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

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

Young’s Literal Translation

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

World English Bible

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

Darby Translation

A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven [men] that answer discreetly.

Douay-Rheims

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

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men that give wise answer.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

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

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Σοφώτερος ἑαυτῷ ὀκνηρὸς φαίνεται, τοῦ ἐν πλησμονῇ ἀποκομίζοντος ἀγγελίαν.