Proverbs 18:13 (DRB)

Passage

He that answereth before he heareth, sheweth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 18:11 The substance of the rich man is the city of his strength, and as a strong wall compassing him about.

Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction, the heart of a man is exalted: and before he be glorified, it is humbled.

Proverbs 18:13 He that answereth before he heareth, sheweth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion.

Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man upholdeth his infirmity: but a spirit that is easily angered, who can bear?

Proverbs 18:15 A wise heart shall acquire knowledge: and the ear of the wise seeketh instruction.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "answereth", "before", "heareth", "sheweth", "himself", "fool", "worthy", and "confusion". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "answereth" and "before", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "Before destruction the heart of a man..." into verse 14's "The spirit of a man upholdeth his...", so "answereth" and "before" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "answereth" and "before" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.