and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense,
He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.
“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
And he said, “Are you also still without understanding?
“For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”
On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” And to him who lacks sense she says,
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks sense she says,
O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.
For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;
to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth—
The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.
I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,
The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.
Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.
The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.