Suffer fools gladly....

Posted by Masakim on May 06, 2002

In Reply to: Suffer fools gladly.... posted by R. Berg on May 06, 2002

: : : My husband and I need someone to explain the meaning of the following:

: : : "Someone who does not suffer fools lightly"

: : : Any help\info\explaination would be appreciated

: : II Corinthians 11:19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

: : : King James Version: For you suffer fools gladly, seeing ye YOURSELVES are wise.

: : : Amplified: For you readily AND gladly bear with the foolish, since you are smart AND wise yourselves.

: : : New American Standard: For you, being SO wise, bear with the foolish gladly.

: : : New International: You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! (next two verses) In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face. To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that.

: : Anyone have an interpretation?

: Yes, I have one in the archives (www.phrases.org.uk bulletin_board 8 messages 617.html), posted when this question came up before. Link to it is below. Anyone else have an interpretation?

suffer fools gladly, not to is an allusion cliche, being a reference to a Biblical passage.... In the passage Paul is pointing out to the Corinthians that those who tolerate fools are themselves fools. As a cliche it dates from the nineteenth century and is still common today, often being used of someone who is intolerant of people generally.
From _Cliches_ by Betty Kirkpatrick.

not suffer fools gladly Refuse to tolerate stupidity, as in "Chris can be intimidating at these meetings; she does not suffer fools gladly." ...
From The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

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Well, I don't want to be just or to be kind. There is a further justice and a greater kindness than this niggling tolerance business, and suffering fools gladly. Fools bore me. (D.H. Lawrence, "Accumulated Mail," _Selected Essays)

You see, I am an archbishop; and an archbishop is a sort of idol. At any rate he has to learn to keep still and suffer fools patiently. (G.B. Shaw, _Saint Joan_)