Proverbs 18:13 (LSB)

Passage

He who responds with a word before he hears, It is folly and shame to him.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 18:11 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own delusion.

Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility goes before glory.

Proverbs 18:13 He who responds with a word before he hears, It is folly and shame to him.

Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, But as for a broken spirit, who can bear it?

Proverbs 18:15 The heart of the understanding acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "responds", "word", "before", "hears", "folly", and "shame". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "responds" and "word", 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 man is..." into verse 14's "The spirit of a man can endure...", so "responds" and "word" 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 "responds" and "word" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.