Proverbs 14:8
The wisdom of a discreet man is to understand his way: and the imprudence of fools erreth.
Open Proverbs 14:8 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Sapientia callidi est intelligere viam suam, et imprudentia stultorum errans.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- σοφία πανούργων ἐπιγνώσεται τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν, ἄνοια δὲ ἀφρόνων ἐν πλάνῃ.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- חָכְמַ֣ת עָ֭רוּם הָבִ֣ין דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְאִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה
Haydock's commentary
Way. This science of the saints is the only true wisdom.
Erreth. They are inconstant. Hebrew, "is deceit." They are bent on it.
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
Clement of Alexandria The Stromata, or Miscellanies, Chapter XIX. The True Gnostic is an Imitator of God, Especially in Beneficence
Now Plato the philosopher, defining the end of happiness, says that it is likeness to God as far as possible; whether concurring with the precept of the law (for great natures that are free of passions somehow hit the mark respecting the truth, as the Pythagorean Philo says in relating the history of Moses), or whether instructed by certain oracles of the time, thirsting as he always was for instruction. For the law says, “Walk after the Lord your God, and keep my commandments.” For the law calls assimilation following; and such a following to the utmost of its power assimilates. “Be,” says the Lord, “merciful and pitiful, as your heavenly Father is pitiful.” Thence also the Stoics have laid down the doctrine, that living agreeably to nature is the end, fitly altering the name of God into nature; since also nature extends to plants, to seeds, to trees, and to stones. …