Proverbs 14:24

The crown of the wise is their riches, ¹  but the folly ²  of fools is folly.

The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.

The crown of the wise is their riches, But the folly of fools is foolishness.

Wealth is a crown for the wise; the effort of fools yields only folly.

The wise accumulate wisdom; fools get stupider by the day.

Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.

The crown of the wise is their wisdom, but folly is the garland of fools.

The crown of the wise is their riches, But the foolishness of fools is folly.

The crown of the wise is their riches, ¹  but the folly ²  of fools is folly.

¹ sn C. H. Toy suggests that this line probably means that wealth is an ornament to those who use it well (Proverbs [ICC], 269). J. H. Greenstone suggests that it means that the wisdom of the wise, which is their crown of glory, constitutes their wealth (Proverbs, 155).

² tc The MT reads אִוֶלֶת (’ivelet, “folly”). The editors of BHS propose emending the text to וְלִוְיַת (vÿlivyat, “but the wealth”), as suggested by the LXX. See M. Rotenberg, “The Meaning of אִוֶּלֶת in Proverbs,” LesŒ 25 (1960-1961): 201. A similar emendation is followed by NAB (“the diadem”) and NRSV (“the garland”).