Proverbs 1:22

Pro 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Ver. 22. How long, ye simple ones.] The fatuelli that are easily persuaded into a fool’s paradise. These are the best sort of bad men; the apostle calls them Aκακοι. {Rom 16:18} Optimi putantur Pontifices (saith Papirius Massonius, a Popish writer) {a} si vel leniter mali sint; vel minus boni quam coeteri mortales esse solent. Those are thought to be very good popes that are not stark naught, or that have any good at all in them. These simplicians are much better than scorners that delight in their scorning, but far beyond those fools that hate knowledge. See a like gradation in Psa 1:1, {See Trapp on "Psa 1:1"} Peccata non sunt paria; Nemo repente fit turpissimus. All sins are not alike sinful, and wicked men grow worse and worse.

{a} In Vita Pauli, iii.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro 1:22-23. How long, ye simple ones — Ye ignorant, careless, and credulous persons, who are so easily deceived by sin and sinners, and cheated and deluded by the world, and the god of it, and do not understand or consider your own interest; will ye love simplicity? — Being unwilling to part with it, or to be made wise. And the scorners — That scoff at all religion, and despise the word and faithful ministers of God; delight in their scorning — Take pleasure, and glory in deriding and reviling the truths and precepts of the gospel, and the people and ways of God. And fools — That is, the wicked, for the Scriptures, with the utmost propriety, denominate all such, fools; hate knowledge — Which surely none but fools would hate. They hate it, because it lays open and reproves their errors, sins, and corrupt ways, which they cannot bear to have detected and rebuked. Hence they hate the knowledge of the divine laws, and also all those who are acquainted with them, and set a value upon them. Turn you at my reproof — Upon this admonition here given you, turn from your evil ways unto me. Behold — If you do so; I will pour out my spirit unto you — The gifts and graces of my Spirit, which God, whose wisdom here speaks, has promised to those that turn to him, and sincerely and earnestly ask them, Luk 11:13; Joh 4:14; and Joh 7:39. I will make known my words unto you — By my Spirit I will enable you truly and savingly to understand my word, which is hid from others, 2Co 4:3. The Hebrew, תשׁבו לתוכחתי, may be rendered, ye shall turn at my instruction, or correction; behold, אביעה לכם רוחי, ebulliam vobis Spiritum meum, I will cause my Spirit to ebulliate, or spring up within you, or, “I will make my Spirit flow upon you as a fountain, which produces its water.” The special and saving grace of God shall never be denied to any that honestly seek it and submit to it.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1:22 Three main words in Proverbs describe those who lack God’s wisdom. Simpletons (Hebrew pethim) have not hardened themselves against God’s wisdom and are most open to correction (see 1:4). Fools (Hebrew kesilim) have heard God’s wisdom but resist it. Mockers (Hebrew latsonim) not only resist wisdom but even ridicule it.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Wisdom reproveth three kinds of men: the foolish or simple which err of ignorance, and the mockers that cannot suffer to be taught, and the fools which are drowned in worldly lusts and hate the knowledge of godliness.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

simple ones--(Compare Pro 1:4).

simplicity--implying ignorance.

scorners-- (Psa 1:1) --who despise, as well as reject, truth.

fools--Though a different word is used from that of Pro 1:7, yet it is of the same meaning.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 22. Ye simple ones] פתים pethayim, ye who have been seduced and deceived. See on Pr 1:4.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(22) How long . . .—Three classes of persons are here addressed: (1) simple ones, open to good influences, but also to evil (Pro_1:4); (2) scorners (lçtsîm), men who despised what was holy, priding themselves on their cleverness in so doing (Pro_14:6), who avoided the wise, and held themselves above their advice (Pro_15:12), proud, arrogant men (Pro_21:24). The name first appears at the time of Solomon, when the prosperity of the nation was favourable to the growth of religious indifference and scepticism. Isaiah had to deal with them in his day, too (Isa_28:14). (3) Fools (khesîlîm), dull, stupid persons, stolidly confident in their own wisdom.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22. simple] unwary, see Pro_1:4 above, note.

love simplicity] when you stand in need of that subtilty, which wisdom offers you (Pro_1:4). When war is at the gates, you are not safe without armour. “Parvuli, diligitis infantiam,” Vulg.

scorners] The word is, with few exceptions, peculiar to this Book, in which “ ‘the scorners’ appear as a class of defiant and cynical freethinkers in contrast and antagonism to ‘the wise.’ The root-principle of their character is a spirit of proud self-sufficiency, a contemptuous disregard for God and man (Pro_21:24). It is impossible to reform them, for they hate reproof and will not seek instruction (Pro_13:1, Pro_15:12). If they seek for wisdom they will not find it (Pro_14:6). It is folly to argue with them (Pro_9:7-8). They are generally detested (Pro_24:9), and in the interests of peace must be banished from society (Pro_22:10). Divine judgements are in store for them, and their fate is a warning to the simple (Pro_3:34, Pro_19:25; Pro_19:29, Pro_21:11).” Kirkpatrick on Psa_1:1, in this Series.

fools] The Heb. word here used for “fool” signifies, heavy, dull, gross. See Pro_17:21, note.

simple, scorners, fools] The enumeration covers the field: the simple, from whom recruits are too easily drawn to the army of evil; scorners, the proud leaders of the host; fools, the rank and file of the host.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?.... Simple foolish things, agreeably to their character, being weak simple men, men of weak capacities and shallow understandings; and such were the first persons that were called by Christ through the ministry of the word, even effectually; they were babes and sucklings in comparison of others, by whom they were despised as illiterate and ignorant of the law; see Mat 11:25; though it may respect the Jews in general, who were externally called by Christ, and were a simple and foolish people, addicted to silly customs and usages, to the traditions of the elders, and loved the folly and darkness of them, and to continue in them, rather than the light of the Gospel, Joh 3:19;

and the scorners delight in their scorning; at Christ, because of the meanness of his parentage and education; at his disciples and followers, at his doctrines and miracles, sufferings and death;

and fools hate knowledge? the knowledge of Christ, and of God in Christ; the knowledge of the Gospel, and the truths of it; they hated the light of it, and did not care to come to it, but rather loved the darkness of the law, and even of error and infidelity; they hated Christ, the teacher of true and useful knowledge; they hated his person, though without a cause; they hated him in his offices, as a Prophet to instruct them, as a Priest to be the propitiation for them, and as a King to rule over them; such "fools" were they, and who are therefore expostulated with by Wisdom or Christ; which expostulations show their continuance in these things, and the danger they were in by them, the pity and compassion of Christ as man and a minister of the word, and the fervour and importunity of his ministrations.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Compare the Psa 1:1 note.

(1) The “simple,” literally, “open,” i. e. fatally open to evil;

(2) the “scorners,” mocking at all good;

(3) lastly, the “fools” in the sense of being hardened, obstinate, perverse, hating the knowledge they have rejected.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Fools. Hebrew, "and scorners delight in their scorning." (Protestants) --- Such are the pests of society. (Haydock) --- They turn piety to ridicule, and will talk about things which they do not understand, like our esprits forts, (Calmet) or pretended philosophers. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Ye simple ones; ye ignorant, and easy, and credulous persons, who are so soon cheated by the world and the devil, and do not understand your own interest.

Love simplicity; being unwilling to part with it, or to be made wiser. Scorners; that scoff at all religion, and contemn the word and faithful ministers of God.

Fools; wilful and wicked fools, as Pro 17:10; 26:4.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

22. There is a gradation here, as in Psa_1:1. Simple ones — See Pro_1:2. Scorners — Or, scoffers at that which is good.

Fools — כסילים, (kesilim,) a different word from that in Pro_1:7, but etymologically of nearly the same signification; dull, carnal, stupid, hardened ones. The change of person here (from the second to the third) is common in the Hebrew. The interrogatory how long? carries its force to each of the clauses.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? etc. From this verse to the end of the chapter the sacred writer puts before us the words of Wisdom herself. The discourse begins in the same way as in Psa_4:2 (Zockler), and the classification of the persons addressed the simple, the scorners, and the sinners closely resembles that of Psa_1:1. In the order there is a progression from the least to the most culpable. The simple ( pthayim) , as in ver. 4, those who are indifferent through thoughtlessness and inconsiderateness, and are thereby open to evil. The scorners ( letsim); or, mockers, the same as the (wOxl, latson) "scornful men" of Pro_29:8, derived from the root xWL (luts), "to deride, mock," probably by imitating the voice in derision. The mockers are those who hold all things in derision, both human and Divine, who contemn God"s admonitions, and treat with ridicule both threatenings and promises alike. Fools; (chsilim), a different word from the evilim of ver. 7, but signifying much the same, i.e. the obdurate, the hardened, stolidi, those who walk after the sight of their eyes and the imagination of their hearts a class not ignorant of knowledge, but hating it because of the restraint it puts them under. The word occurs in Pro_17:10, in the sense of the incorrigible; in Pro_26:3, 4 as a term of the greatest contempt. The enallage, or interchange of tenses in the original the verbs "love" and "hate" being future, and "delight" being perfect is not reproducible in English. The perfect is used interchangeably with the future where the action or state is represented as first coming to pass or in progress, and, as Zockler remarks, may be inchoative, and so be rendered "become fond of," instead of "be fond of." But it appears to represent not so much a state or action first coming to pass as in progress (see Geseuius, "Gram.," 3). Bottcher ( 2) translates it by concupiverint, i.e. "How long shall ye have delighted in scorning?" The futures express "love" and "hate" as habitual sentiments (Delitzsch). It is to be noted that the language of Wisdom, in vers. 22 and 23, is expressive of the most tender and earnest solicitude.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Scoffers - That scoff at religion and contemn the word and faithful ministers of God.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The poet has now reached that part of his introduction where he makes use of the very words uttered by Wisdom:

How long, ye simple, will ye love simplicity,

And scorners delight in scorning,

And fools hate knowledge?

Three classes of men are here addressed: the פּתים, the simple, who, being accessible to seduction, are only too susceptible of evil; the לצים, mockers, i.e., free-thinkers (from לוּץ, Arab. luṣ, flectere, torquere, properly qui verbis obliquis utitur); and the כּסילים, fools, i.e., the mentally imbecile and stupid (from כּסל, Arab. kasal, to be thick, coarse, indolent). The address to these passes immediately over into a declaration regarding them; cf. the same enallage, Pro 1:27. עד־מתי has the accent Mahpach, on account of the Pasek following; vid., Torath Emeth, p. 26. Intentionally, Wisdom addresses only the פתים, to whom she expects to find soonest access. Between the futt., which express the continuing love and hatred, stands the perf. חמדוּ, which expresses that in which the mockers found pleasure, that which was the object of their love. להם is the so-called dat. ethicus, which reflexively refers to that which is said to be the will and pleasure of the subject; as we say, "I am fond of this and that." The form תּאהבוּ, Abulwald, Parchon, and Kimchi regard as Piel; but תּאהבוּ instead of תּאהבוּ would be a recompensatio of the virtual doubling, defacing the character of the Piel. Schultens regards it as a defectively written Pail (in Syr.), but it is not proved that this conjugation exists in Hebr.; much rather תּאהבוּ is the only possible Kal form with תּאהבוּן without the pause, regularly formed from תּאהבוּ (vid., Ewald, 193, a). The division by the accent Mercha-Mahpach of the two words תאהבו פתי is equal in value to the connecting of them by Makkeph; vid., Baer's Psalterium, p. x. In codd., and also in correct texts, תאהבו is written with the accent Galgal on the first syllable, as the servant of the Mercha-Mahpach. The Gaja is incorrectly here and there placed under the תּ.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

you naive ones Heb. פתים. Those who are enticed by enticers and sectarians.

naivete Heb. פתי, enticement, the noun for simplicity; like כלי, a vessel, קרי, a happening, שפי, silence.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.