BSB
He who answers a matter before he hears it— this is folly and disgrace to him.
WEB
He who answers before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.
KJV
He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
ל֝֗וֹ
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Verse 13
Proverbs 18:13
See here how men often expose themselves by that very thing by which they hope to gain applause. 1. Some take a pride in being quick. They answer a matter before they hear it, hear it out, nay, as soon as they but hear of it. They think it is their honour to take up a cause suddenly; and, when they have heard one side, they think the matter so plain that they need not trouble themselves to hear the other; they are already apprized of it, and masters of all the merits of the cause. Whereas, though a ready wit is an agreeable thing to play with, it is solid judgment and sound wisdom that do business. 2. Those that take a pride in being quick commonly fall under the just reproach of being impertinent. It is folly for a man to go about to speak to a thing which he does not understand, or to pass sentence upon a matter which he is not truly and fully informed of, and has not patience to make a strict enquiry into; and, if it be folly, it is and will be shame.