Isaiah 32:5
New International Version
No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

New Living Translation
In that day ungodly fools will not be heroes. Scoundrels will not be respected.

English Standard Version
The fool will no more be called noble, nor the scoundrel said to be honorable.

Berean Standard Bible
No longer will a fool be called noble, nor a scoundrel be respected.

King James Bible
The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

New King James Version
The foolish person will no longer be called generous, Nor the miser said to be bountiful;

New American Standard Bible
No longer will the fool be called noble, Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.

NASB 1995
No longer will the fool be called noble, Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.

NASB 1977
No longer will the fool be called noble, Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.

Legacy Standard Bible
No longer will the wicked fool be called noble, Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.

Amplified Bible
The fool (the good-for-nothing) will no longer be called noble, Nor the rogue said to be generous.

Christian Standard Bible
A fool will no longer be called a noble, nor a scoundrel said to be important.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A fool will no longer be called a noble, nor a scoundrel said to be important.

American Standard Version
The fool shall be no more called noble, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

Contemporary English Version
Fools will no longer be highly respected, and crooks won't be given positions of honor.

English Revised Version
The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Godless fools will no longer be called nobles, nor will scoundrels be considered gentlemen.

Good News Translation
No one will think that a fool is honorable or say that a scoundrel is honest.

International Standard Version
People will no longer call a fool noble, nor will a bad person be declared honorable.

Majority Standard Bible
No longer will a fool be called noble, nor a scoundrel be respected.

NET Bible
A fool will no longer be called honorable; a deceiver will no longer be called principled.

New Heart English Bible
And they will no longer call a fool noble, nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

Webster's Bible Translation
The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

World English Bible
The fool will no longer be called noble, nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
A fool is no more called “noble,” "" And to a miser it is not said, “rich”;

Young's Literal Translation
A fool is no more called 'noble,' And to a miser it is not said, 'rich;'

Smith's Literal Translation
Liberal shall no more be called to the foolish, and noble shall not be said to the deceiver.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The fool shall no more be called prince: neither shall the deceitful be called great:

Catholic Public Domain Version
He who is foolish will no longer be called leader, nor will the deceitful be called greater.

New American Bible
No more will the fool be called noble, nor the deceiver be considered honorable.

New Revised Standard Version
A fool will no longer be called noble, nor a villain said to be honorable.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The fool shall be no more called ruler, nor shall the vain man be called a saviour.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they shall not call a fool the Ruler again, neither shall they call the worthless man Savior
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The vile person shall be no more called liberal, Nor the churl said to be noble.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they shall no more at all tell a fool to rule, and thy servants shall no more at all say, Be silent.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Righteous King
4The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will speak clearly and fluently. 5No longer will a fool be called noble, nor a scoundrel be respected. 6For a fool speaks foolishness; his mind plots iniquity. He practices ungodliness and speaks falsely about the LORD; he leaves the hungry empty and deprives the thirsty of drink.…

Cross References
Proverbs 19:10
Luxury is unseemly for a fool—how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

Proverbs 17:7
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!

Ecclesiastes 10:6-7
Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions. / I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.

1 Samuel 25:25
My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.

Psalm 49:10-13
For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others. / Their graves are their eternal homes—their dwellings for endless generations—even though their lands were their namesakes. / But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish. ...

Psalm 14:1
For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.

Jeremiah 5:4-5
Then I said, “They are only the poor; they have played the fool, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God. / I will go to the powerful and speak to them. Surely they know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.” But they too, with one accord, had broken the yoke and torn off the chains.

Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches. / But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth—for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

Ezekiel 13:2-3
“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Tell those who prophesy out of their own imagination: Hear the word of the LORD! / This is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit yet have seen nothing.

Micah 7:3-4
Both hands are skilled at evil; the prince and the judge demand a bribe. When the powerful utters his evil desire, they all conspire together. / The best of them is like a brier; the most upright is sharper than a hedge of thorns. The day for your watchmen has come, the day of your visitation. Now is the time of their confusion.

Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. / By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ...

Matthew 23:27-28
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. / In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Luke 12:19-20
Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ / But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

Romans 1:22
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,


Treasury of Scripture

The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

vile

Isaiah 5:20
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Psalm 15:4
In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

Malachi 3:18
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

nor

1 Samuel 25:3-8
Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb…

Proverbs 23:6-8
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: …

Jump to Previous
Bountiful Churl Fool Foolish Generous Highly Honorable Honour Longer Miser Noble Respected Rich Rogue Scoundrel Vile
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Bountiful Churl Fool Foolish Generous Highly Honorable Honour Longer Miser Noble Respected Rich Rogue Scoundrel Vile
Isaiah 32
1. The blessings of Christ's kingdom
9. Desolation is foreshown
14. Restoration is promised to succeed














No longer
This phrase indicates a definitive change or shift from a previous state. In the context of Isaiah, it suggests a future time when the current social order will be overturned. Historically, this reflects the prophetic vision of a coming era of justice and righteousness, often associated with the Messianic age. The Hebrew root here implies a cessation of a practice or condition, emphasizing the transformative power of God's intervention.

will a fool
The term "fool" in Hebrew is "nabal," which conveys more than just a lack of wisdom; it implies moral deficiency and a rejection of God. In the biblical context, a fool is someone who lives in defiance of God's laws and wisdom. This word choice underscores the moral and spiritual dimensions of foolishness, which are often overlooked in contemporary understandings.

be called noble
To be "called noble" suggests a societal recognition or attribution of honor and status. The Hebrew word for "noble" is "nadib," which can mean generous or willing, but in this context, it refers to someone of high social standing. The verse critiques the misapplication of honor, where those who are morally corrupt are wrongly esteemed. This reflects a common biblical theme where true nobility is associated with righteousness and godly character, not merely social position.

nor a scoundrel
The word "scoundrel" translates from the Hebrew "keli," which denotes someone who is deceitful or wicked. This term is often used in the Old Testament to describe individuals who act with malice or engage in corrupt practices. The use of this word highlights the moral decay that can pervade societies, where such individuals might be wrongly elevated or respected.

be respected
To "be respected" implies receiving honor or esteem from others. The Hebrew root "shabach" can mean to praise or commend. In the context of this verse, it points to the misplaced admiration that society can sometimes bestow upon those who are unworthy. The prophetic message here is one of hope and correction, envisioning a time when true values will be recognized and upheld.

(5) The vile person shall be no more called liberal.--Better, noble, the ??????????? of the Greeks, the ingenuus of the Latin. So for "bountiful," read gentle. Here, again, we have a picture, the exact contrast of that which met us at the beginning of Isaiah's work, when men "called good evil, and evil good" (chap 5:20).

Verse 5. - The vile person shall be no more called liberal; rather, the foolish person - as nabal is commonly translated (Deuteronomy 32:6; 2 Samuel 3:33; 2 Samuel 13:13; Psalm 14:1; Psalm 39:8; Psalm 74:22, etc.) - such a man as the "Nabal" of 1 Samuel 25. Men are apt to confound moral distinctions, and to call the "fools" who waste their substance in feasting and revelry "generous" or "liberal," and the misers (churls) who hoard their riches "warm men," "wealthy men," "men well to do in the world" (see Isaiah 5:20; and comp. Arist.,' Eth. Nic.,' 2:8, § 3; Thucyd., 3:82). This perversion of truth shall not obtain in Messiah's kingdom. Bountiful; rather, wealthy (comp. Job 34:19, where the same word is translated "rich").

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
No
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

longer {will}
ע֛וֹד (‘ō·wḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more

a fool
לְנָבָ֖ל (lə·nā·ḇāl)
Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 5036: Foolish, senseless

be called
יִקָּרֵ֥א (yiq·qā·rê)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

noble,
נָדִ֑יב (nā·ḏîḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 5081: Voluntary, generous, magnanimous, a grandee

nor
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

a scoundrel
וּלְכִילַ֕י (ū·lə·ḵî·lay)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3596: Stubborn

said
יֵֽאָמֵ֖ר (yê·’ā·mêr)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to be important.
שֽׁוֹעַ׃ (šō·w·a‘)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7771: A noble, liberal, opulent, a halloo


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 32:5 The fool will no longer be called (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 32:4
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