Wit is folly, unless a wise man hath the keeping of it.
Meaning: Cleverness without prudent restraint becomes destructive, as unchecked intelligence amplifies rather than prevents foolish choices.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
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