The Meaning of Proverbs 14:24 Explained

Proverbs 14:24

KJV: The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.

YLT: The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools is folly.

Darby: The crown of the wise is their riches; the folly of the foolish is folly.

ASV: The crown of the wise is their riches; But the folly of fools is only folly.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The crown  of the wise  [is] their riches:  [but] the foolishness  of fools  [is] folly. 

What does Proverbs 14:24 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The ends of the wise and the foolish are in view.
"The wise are crowned, that Isaiah , blessed with wealth (cf. Proverbs 3:16; Proverbs 8:18; Proverbs 8:21; Proverbs 15:6; Proverbs 22:4) because of their diligence ( Proverbs 14:23), but foolish conduct results not in blessing but in more folly (cf. Proverbs 14:18)." [1]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 14

1  A wise woman builds her house

What do the individual words in Proverbs 14:24 mean?

The crown of the wise is their riches [But] the foolishness of fools [is] folly
עֲטֶ֣רֶת חֲכָמִ֣ים עָשְׁרָ֑ם אִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת

עֲטֶ֣רֶת  The  crown 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֲטָרָה  
Sense: crown, wreath.
חֲכָמִ֣ים  of  the  wise 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
עָשְׁרָ֑ם  is  their  riches 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עֹשֶׁר  
Sense: wealth, riches.
אִוֶּ֖לֶת  [But]  the  foolishness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אִוֶּלֶת  
Sense: foolishness, folly.
כְּסִילִ֣ים  of  fools 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: כְּסִיל  
Sense: fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one.
אִוֶּֽלֶת  [is]  folly 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִוֶּלֶת  
Sense: foolishness, folly.