A word is enough to/for the wise.

[Sammy Sam]

There is a proverb in English. Do let me know which of its following version is accurate.

1. A word is enough to the wise.
2. A word is enough for the wise.

 

[White Hat]

Here the version is 'A word to the wise is enough'. And here it is 'A word is enough to the wise'.

 

[White Hat]

There is also an entry on this on thefreedictionary.com. The saying means 'wise people do not need long explanations'. It has been credited to the Roman dramatist Plautus ('Dictum sapienti sat est'). That being said, the version here is 'A word is enough for the wise'.

 

[White Hat]

Personally, I'd use either 'A word to the wise is enough' or 'A word is enough for the wise'.

 

[emsr2d2]

Do let me know which of its the following versions is accurate.

 

[Tarheel]

I remember it as "A word to the wise is sufficient." Loosely translated, it means "If you were smarter I wouldn't have to explain things to you so much, you doofus!"

 

[jutfrank]

I think it's much more likely to be just 'a word to the wise', used as a phrase to introduce a warning to someone:

A word to the wise: make sure to save your work frequently to avoid losing any important data.

As far as the whole-sentence proverb goes, I prefer: A word to the wise is enough.

 

[SoothingDave]

"A word to the wise is sufficient" is my version, too.

 

[Skrej]

I think it's much more likely to be just 'a word to the wise', used as a phrase to introduce a warning to someone:

A word to the wise: make sure to save your work frequently to avoid losing any important data.

That's the only way I've ever heard it. I don't think I've ever heard a version used as a stand-alone sentence, just as a precursor to advice within the same sentence.

 

[probus]

At least here in Canada "a word to the wise is sufficient" has the status of a proverb or piece of folk wisdom. (I've never heard it with "enough" rather than "sufficient".) We also use just "A word to the wise" as preamble to a caution or warning, just as @Skrej pointed out they do in the USA.

 

[emsr2d2]

BrE just uses "A word to the wise" before the warning too. I've never heard a longer version.