34 occurrences in 13 translations

'Foolish' in the Bible

So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!

Verse ConceptsStudying InsanityUseless Endeavour

Of laughter I said, 'Foolish!' and of mirth, 'What is this it is doing?'

Verse ConceptsAmusements, Evil ResultsStudying InsanityFun

I made a search with my heart to give pleasure to my flesh with wine, still guiding my heart with wisdom, and to go after foolish things, so that I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.

Verse ConceptsAlcoholDrinking WineUnder The SunBeing Happy And Enjoying LifeEnjoying Lifeexploring

Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king's successor do than what the king has already done?

Verse ConceptsStudying InsanityNature Of Kings

Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways--as the light is better than the dark.

Verse ConceptsLight And DarknessBenefits Of Wisdom

The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the foolish man goes walking in the dark; but still I saw that the same event comes to them all.

Verse ConceptsEquality Of FateSpiritual PerceptionDarkness Of Evilfate

Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.

Verse ConceptsEquality Of FateUseless EndeavourWise Man Or Foolfate

Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!

Verse ConceptsEquality Of FateForgetting PeopleDeath Is UniversalWise Man Or FoolWisdom

And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Either way, he will take possession of everything that I have done on earth, especially where I have excelled. This also is pointless.

Verse ConceptsUseless EndeavourUnder The SunWise Man Or Fool

The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.

Put your feet down with care when you go to the house of God, for it is better to give ear than to make the burned offerings of the foolish, whose knowledge is only of doing evil.

Verse ConceptsFormalityGod's DwellingThe Work Of FoolsCare Of FeetSacrificeFoolsGoing To ChurchListening To GodfootstepsbehaviorevangelisingGuarding Yourself

When you take an oath before God, put it quickly into effect, because he has no pleasure in the foolish; keep the oath you have taken.

Verse ConceptsProcrastinationGod's Attitude To FoolsMaking VowsNot Pleasing GodThe promises of GodPromisesMaking Mistakesfulfillment

What have the wise more than the foolish? and what has the poor man by walking wisely before the living?

Verse ConceptsAdvantagesPoor PeopleWise Man Or Fool

Who is able to say what is good for man in life all the days of his foolish life which he goes through like a shade? who will say what is to be after him under the sun?

Verse ConceptsPhysical LifeTravailWithheld KnowledgeUnknown FutureUnder The SunBeing Happy And Enjoying LifeEnjoying Lifeuncertainty

The hearts of the wise are in the house of weeping; but the hearts of the foolish are in the house of joy.

Verse ConceptsPleasure, WorldlyWorldly Pleasures, Leads ToThe Work Of FoolsThe Work Of The Wise

It is better to take note of the protest of the wise, than for a man to give ear to the song of the foolish.

Verse ConceptsReproving PeopleWise Man Or FoolFoolscriticismrebuking

Like the cracking of thorns under a pot, so is the laugh of a foolish man; and this again is to no purpose.

Verse ConceptsVanityThornsUseless EndeavourWeedpot

Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

Verse ConceptsEuthanasiaEarly DeathFools Becoming WiseDeathAssisted Suicide

I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses.

Verse ConceptsInvestigatingStudying Insanity

This is evil in all things which are done under the sun: that there is one fate for all, and the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; while they have life their hearts are foolish, and after that--to the dead.

Verse ConceptsBad SituationsPeople Acting MadlyTragedyfate

Have joy with the woman of your love all the days of your foolish life which he gives you under the sun. Because that is your part in life and in your work which you do under the sun.

Verse ConceptsUnder The SunLife StrugglesSunFinding LoveGetting Through Hard TimesBeing Happy And Enjoying LifeEnjoying LifespousehardworkThe Love Of Women

The words of the wise which come quietly to the ear are noted more than the cry of a ruler among the foolish.

Verse ConceptsNo ShoutingFaintnessFools

Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give out an evil smell; more valued is a little wisdom than the great glory of the foolish.

Verse ConceptsFliesflyingbugs

A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left.

Verse ConceptsRight SidesThe Work Of The WiseLeft Hand SideFoolsDirectionNatural Disastersvulnerabilitywise

And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.

Verse ConceptsLifestylesAspects Of People Made Known

The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.

Verse ConceptsFools

At the beginning his words are foolish and at the end his talk is wicked madness,

Verse ConceptsVain TalkBeginning And EndPeople Acting Madly

The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?

Verse ConceptsMultiplyingWithheld KnowledgeUnknown FutureToo Many Words

The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

Verse ConceptsCompassesNot Knowing WhereThe Work Of FoolsstruggleStrugglesWorking Hard And Not Being Lazy

Bible Theasaurus

Absurd (4 instances)
Extravagant (2 instances)
Foolish (271 instances)
Frivolous (4 instances)
Improper (9 instances)
Inconsistent (5 instances)
Insensate (1 instance)
Irrational (9 instances)

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain

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