The “Fool” of the Book of Proverbs
Material for class: Ancient Wisdom for the Internet Age.
By George “Chip” Hammond
There are three words in the book of Proverbs that are translated as “fool.” Our English translations obscure that these all have different nuances. The definitions are general – like all synonyms they contain some elasticity of meaning (there are very few “technical terms” in the Bible).
ילִ סְּ כ) .k’sil). This is the most common word translated “fool” in Proverbs. It denotes someone who is dull and ignorant due to the folly of youth and inexperience with life. The book or Proverbs is written in part for the enlightenment of the k’sil because there is hope that he can escape folly and become wise (1:22,32; 3:35; 8:5; 10:1,18,23; 12:23; 13:16, 19, 20; 14:7,8,16, 24. 33; 15:2, 7, 14, 20; 17”10,12,16, 21, 24, 25; 18:2, 6, 7; 19:1, 10, 13, 29; 21:20; 23:9; 26:1, 3-12 [every verse]; 28:26; 29:11. 20).
ילִ וֱ א .A step below the k’sil. The ewil can usually be identified as soon as he opens his mouth. He speaks confidently on issues of which he is ignorant. Akin to the “scoffer,” he scoffs at those who study and know. To the ewil everything is “common sense” and easy (today we’d say, “is just a google search away”) and the first thing that pops into his head on any issue “must be true.” He is quick to call the learned “idiots.” While a wise man avoids strife, the ewil is quick to engage (20:3), quick to “correct” others, quick to show annoyance (12:16). His speech earns him the reputation of being a “jackass” by the general population, but he doesn’t care because he smugly thinks that he is superior to them. Wise in his own eyes, he will not take counsel from the godly nor submit to authority. He is the man who “does his own research” though he has neither the humility nor patient moral discipline to do so. There is almost no hope for the ewil unless he is blessed to have calamity come into his life and is brought so low by his folly that he can no longer deny it as such, and is willing to submit himself to learning wisdom. (13:16; 14:1,8,17,18,24,29; 15:2,14,21,22; 16:22; 17:12; 18:13: 19:3; 22:15; 24:9; 26:4,5,11; 27:22)
לָ בָנ .Unlike the k’sil, the nabal is not merely ignorant, but has embraced his/her ignorance and is committed to it. The mental failing of the k’sil begins to become a moral failing in the ewil and that moral failing comes to calcification in the nabal. Folly doesn’t just “come on him,” but rather he’s made a choice to embrace it, think that it (and he) is “wise.” Whereas the k’sil may be excused because he does not know better, the nabal is culpable because he should know better even if he has deceived himself to the point that he can no longer tell truth from falsehood and wisdom from folly. He is committed to his folly and will argue for it, “gaslighting” those who are easily taken in. The nabal is for all intents and purposes irredeemable (17:7, 21; 30:22. 32).
