Proverbs 14:8

“The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, etc.] The way of his calling, in which he should abide, and how to manage it in the best manner; the way of his duty, that he may walk inoffensively both towards God and men; and the way of life and salvation, which is by Jesus Christ, which to understand and to walk in is the highest wisdom and prudence; but the folly of fools [is] deceit: or “the wisdom of fools”, which the opposition requires, and is meant, and is what the Holy Ghost calls “folly”, as elsewhere, (<460319>1 Corinthians 3:19); this is itself “deceit”; it is science, falsely so called; it lies in tricking and deceiving; and the issue of it is, not only the deceiving of…”

“Appearances deceive the thoughtless, but the prudent discriminate.”

“The Hebrew counterpart to the Greek “Know thyself.” “The highest wisdom is for a person to understand his own way. The most extreme folly is self-deceit.” The word “deceit” may, however, involve fraud practiced upon others. The folly of fools shows itself then in their ceaseless effort to deceive. return to 'Top of Page'”

“His way - Consists not in vain speculations, but in a diligent study of his duty, and of the way to eternal happiness. The folly - The wit of ungodly men, which is really their folly, is employed only in finding out ways of deceiving. Proverbs 14:9”

“wisdom: Pro 2:9, Pro 8:20; Psa 111:10, Psa 119:5, Psa 119:34, Psa 119:35, Psa 119:73, Psa 143:8; Eph 5:17; Col 1:9, Col 1:10; Ti2 3:15-17; Jam 3:13 folly: Pro 11:18; Jer 13:20 \*marg. Luk 12:19, Luk 12:20; Eph 4:22; Ti2 3:13 Proverbs 14:9”

“8 The wisdom of the prudent is to observe his way, And the folly of fools is deceit. The nearest idea is that of self-deceit, according to which the lxx, Syr., and Jerome render the word error ("Irrsal"). But מרמה is nowhere else used of self-deception, and moreover is not the suitable word for such an idea, since the conception of the dolus malus is constantly associated with it. Thus the contrast will be this: the wisdom of the prudent shows itself in this, that he considers his conduct (הבין as Pro 7:7, cf. Psa 5:2), i.e., regulates it carefully, examining and considering ( Pro 13:16) it according to right and duty; and that on the contrary the folly of fools shows itself in this, that…”