Proverbs 29:11

11 A fool gives all his breath, but [the] wise holds back in quiet.

Proverbs 29:11 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 29:11

A fool uttereth all his mind
At once; tells all he knows, all that is in his breast; whatever he thinks, and all that he intends to do; what or whom he loves or hates. Or, "a fool brings out all his wrath"; so the Targum, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions: he cannot restrain it, nor hide it; it breaks out at once, even all of it, and is soon known, as in ( Proverbs 12:16 ) ; but a wise [man] keepeth it in till afterwards;
reserves his mind, and thoughts, and designs, to himself; and does not discover them until a proper opportunity offers, when to disclose them is most to advantage; or he restrains his wrath and anger, defers showing it to a proper time, when it may answer a better purpose, and he may do it without sin.

Proverbs 29:11 In-Context

9 [If] a wise man goes to court with a foolish man, then there is rankling and ridicule, but there is no relief.

10 Men of blood hate [the] blameless, and they seek the life of the upright.

11 A fool gives all his breath, but [the] wise holds back in quiet.

12 A ruler listening to a word of falsehood, all his officials are wicked.

13 The poor and a man of oppression have [this] in common: Yahweh gives {light to the eyes of them both}.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "spirit"