Proverbs 1:22

THE MESSAGE

"Simpletons! How long will you wallow in ignorance? Cynics! How long will you feed your cynicism? Idiots! How long will you refuse to learn? About face! I can revise your life. Look, I'm ready to pour out my spirit on you; I'm ready to tell you all I know. As it is, I've called, but you've turned a deaf ear; I've reached out to you, but you've ignored me.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?How long will you mockers enjoy mockingand you fools hate knowledge?

Hebrew Names Version
"How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, And fools hate knowledge?

King James Version
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

English Standard Version
"How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

New Century Version
"You fools, how long will you be foolish? How long will you make fun of wisdom and hate knowledge?

New English Translation
"How long will you simpletons love naiveté? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?

Amplified Bible
"How long, O naive ones [you who are easily misled], will you love being simple-minded and undiscerning? How long will scoffers [who ridicule and deride] delight in scoffing, How long will fools [who obstinately mock truth] hate knowledge?

New American Standard Bible
"How long, you naive ones, will you love simplistic thinking? And how long will scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?

World English Bible
"How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, And fools hate knowledge?

Geneva Bible (1587)
O ye foolish, howe long will ye loue foolishnes? and the scornefull take their pleasure in scorning, and the fooles hate knowledge?

Legacy Standard Bible
"How long, O simple ones, will you love simplicity?And scoffers delight in scoffingAnd fools hate knowledge?

Berean Standard Bible
"How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?

Contemporary English Version
"How much longer will you enjoy being stupid fools? Won't you ever stop sneering and laughing at knowledge?

Complete Jewish Bible
"How long, you whose lives have no purpose, will you love thoughtless living? How long will scorners find pleasure in mocking? How long will fools hate knowledge?

Darby Translation
How long, simple ones, will ye love simpleness, and scorners take pleasure in their scorning, and the foolish hate knowledge?

Easy-to-Read Version
"Fools, how long will you love being ignorant? How long will you make fun of wisdom? How long will you hate knowledge?

George Lamsa Translation
How long, you simple ones, will you love childishness? And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Good News Translation
"Foolish people! How long do you want to be foolish? How long will you enjoy making fun of knowledge? Will you never learn?

Lexham English Bible
"How long, O simple ones, will you love simplicity? And how long will scoffers delight in their scoffing, and fools hate knowledge?

Literal Translation
Until when will you love to be simple, you simple ones? And will scorners desire scorn for themselves? And will fools hate knowledge?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
O ye childre, how loge wil ye loue childyshnesse? how longe wil ye scorners delyte in scornynge, & ye vnwyse be enemies vnto knowlege?

American Standard Version
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?

Bible in Basic English
How long, you simple ones, will foolish things be dear to you? and pride a delight to the haters of authority? how long will the foolish go on hating knowledge?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
'How long, ye thoughtless, will ye love thoughtlessness?

King James Version (1611)
How long, ye simple ones, will ye loue simplicitie? And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fooles hate knowledge?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
O ye children, howe long wyll ye loue childishnesse? howe long wyll the scorners delite in scornyng, and the vnwise hate knowledge?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and are become subject to reproofs.

English Revised Version
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and seith, Hou long, ye litle men in wit, louen yong childhod, and foolis schulen coueyte tho thingis, that ben harmful to hem silf, and vnprudent men schulen hate kunnyng?

Update Bible Version
How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?

Webster's Bible Translation
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

New King James Version
"How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge.

New Living Translation
"How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge?

New Life Bible
"O foolish ones, how long will you love being foolish? How long will those who laugh at others be happy in their laughing? How long will fools hate much learning?

New Revised Standard
"How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and, scoffers, in scoffing, delight them? and, dullards, hate knowledge?

Douay-Rheims Bible
O children, how long will you love childishness, and fools covet those things which are hurtful to themselves, and the unwise hate knowledge?

Revised Standard Version
"How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

Young's Literal Translation
`Till when, ye simple, do ye love simplicity? And have scorners their scorning desired? And do fools hate knowledge?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?

Contextual Overview

²⁰Lady Wisdom goes out in the street and shouts. At the town center she makes her speech. In the middle of the traffic she takes her stand. At the busiest corner she calls out: ²²"Simpletons! How long will you wallow in ignorance? Cynics! How long will you feed your cynicism? Idiots! How long will you refuse to learn? About face! I can revise your life. Look, I'm ready to pour out my spirit on you; I'm ready to tell you all I know. As it is, I've called, but you've turned a deaf ear; I've reached out to you, but you've ignored me. ²⁵"Since you laugh at my counsel and make a joke of my advice, How can I take you seriously? I'll turn the tables and joke about your troubles! What if the roof falls in, and your whole life goes to pieces? What if catastrophe strikes and there's nothing to show for your life but rubble and ashes? You'll need me then. You'll call for me, but don't expect an answer. No matter how hard you look, you won't find me. ²⁹"Because you hated Knowledge and had nothing to do with the Fear-of- God, Because you wouldn't take my advice and brushed aside all my offers to train you, Well, you've made your bed—now lie in it; you wanted your own way—now, how do you like it? Don't you see what happens, you simpletons, you idiots? Carelessness kills; complacency is murder. First pay attention to me, and then relax. Now you can take it easy—you're in good hands."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

How: Proverbs 6:9, Exodus 10:3, Exodus 16:28, Numbers 14:27, Matthew 17:17

ye simple: Proverbs 7:7, Proverbs 9:4-6, Proverbs 9:16-18, Psalms 94:8, Matthew 9:13, Matthew 11:29, Matthew 11:30, Matthew 23:37, Luke 19:42, Revelation 22:17

the scorners: Proverbs 3:34, Proverbs 14:6, Proverbs 15:12, Proverbs 19:29, Proverbs 21:11, Job 34:7, Psalms 1:1, 2 Peter 3:3

fools: Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 1:29, Proverbs 5:12, John 3:20

Reciprocal: Numbers 14:11 - How long will this Job 5:2 - the foolish Job 8:2 - How long Job 21:14 - for we Job 30:8 - fools Job 36:10 - commandeth Psalms 4:2 - how Psalms 5:5 - The Psalms 14:1 - fool Psalms 19:7 - making Psalms 62:3 - How Psalms 68:18 - rebellious Psalms 75:4 - I said Psalms 92:6 - a fool Psalms 95:10 - and they Psalms 106:7 - Our Psalms 107:17 - Fools Psalms 119:130 - it giveth Psalms 119:150 - draw nigh Proverbs 1:4 - subtlety Proverbs 4:5 - Get wisdom Proverbs 8:5 - General Proverbs 14:9 - Fools Proverbs 17:16 - a price Proverbs 18:2 - fool Isaiah 28:14 - ye Isaiah 42:23 - will give Isaiah 46:12 - Hearken Jeremiah 4:14 - How long Jeremiah 13:27 - shall Hosea 8:5 - how Luke 11:40 - fools John 1:5 - General Romans 1:14 - to the unwise Romans 1:28 - as they did Romans 3:11 - none that understandeth 2 Corinthians 5:20 - be Titus 3:3 - foolish

Cross-References

Genesis 1:14
God spoke: "Lights! Come out! Shine in Heaven's sky! Separate Day from Night. Mark seasons and days and years, Lights in Heaven's sky to give light to Earth." And there it was.

Genesis 9:1
God blessed Noah and his sons: He said, "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill the Earth! Every living creature—birds, animals, fish—will fall under your spell and be afraid of you. You're responsible for them. All living creatures are yours for food; just as I gave you the plants, now I give you everything else. Except for meat with its lifeblood still in it—don't eat that.

Genesis 30:27
Laban said, "If you please, I have learned through divine inquiry that God has blessed me because of you." He went on, "So name your wages. I'll pay you."

Genesis 35:11
God continued, I am The Strong God. Have children! Flourish! A nation—a whole company of nations!— will come from you. Kings will come from your loins; the land I gave Abraham and Isaac I now give to you, and pass it on to your descendants.

Job 40:15
"Look at the land beast, Behemoth. I created him as well as you. Grazing on grass, docile as a cow— Just look at the strength of his back, the powerful muscles of his belly. His tail sways like a cedar in the wind; his huge legs are like beech trees. His skeleton is made of steel, every bone in his body hard as steel. Most magnificent of all my creatures, but I still lead him around like a lamb! The grass-covered hills serve him meals, while field mice frolic in his shadow. He takes afternoon naps under shade trees, cools himself in the reedy swamps, Lazily cool in the leafy shadows as the breeze moves through the willows. And when the river rages he doesn't budge, stolid and unperturbed even when the Jordan goes wild. But you'd never want him for a pet— you'd never be able to housebreak him!"

Job 42:12
God blessed Job's later life even more than his earlier life. He ended up with fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand teams of oxen, and one thousand donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first daughter Dove, the second, Cinnamon, and the third, Darkeyes. There was not a woman in that country as beautiful as Job's daughters. Their father treated them as equals with their brothers, providing the same inheritance.

Psalms 128:3
Your wife will bear children as a vine bears grapes, your household lush as a vineyard, The children around your table as fresh and promising as young olive shoots. Stand in awe of God's Yes. Oh, how he blesses the one who fears God !

Proverbs 10:22
God 's blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 Matthew 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, John 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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare the Psalms 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

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