Proverbs 18:2 (DRB)

Passage

A fool receiveth not the words of prudence: unless thou say those things which are in his heart.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 18:1 He that hath a mind to depart from a friend, seeketh occasions: he shall ever be subject to reproach.

Proverbs 18:2 A fool receiveth not the words of prudence: unless thou say those things which are in his heart.

Proverbs 18:3 The wicked man, when he is come into the depths of sins, contemneth: but ignominy and reproach follow him.

Proverbs 18:4 Words from the mouth of a man are as deep water: and the fountain of wisdom is an overflowing stream.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "fool", "receiveth", "words", "prudence", "unless", "thou", "things", and "heart". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "fool" and "receiveth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 1's "He that hath a mind to depart..." into verse 3's "The wicked man when he is come...", so "fool" and "receiveth" 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 "fool" and "receiveth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.