Proverbs 7:7

New English Translation

⁷and I saw among the naive^[a]—
I discerned among the youths^[b]—
a young man^[c] who lacked sense.^[d]

Proverbs 7:7 tn Heb פֶּתִי (peti, “naive, simpleton”).sn This naive young man who lacked wisdom is one of the פֶּתִי (peti) simpletons, lacking keen judgment, one void of common sense (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT) or understanding (cf. KJV, ASV). He is young, inexperienced, featherbrained (so D. Kidner, Proverbs [TOTC], 75).
Proverbs 7:7 tc Heb “sons.” The MT reads בַבָּנִים (vabbanim) “among the sons,” perhaps meaning “young men” (cf. Song 2:3; HALOT 138, s. v. I בֵּן). Based on the Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate, perhaps the text should read בַנְבָלִים (van^evalim, “among the fools”).
Proverbs 7:7 tn Heb “lad” or “youth.”
Proverbs 7:7 tn The term לֵב (lev, “mind, heart”) is used as a metonymy of association for what one does with the mind (thinking), and so refers to discernment, wisdom, good sense.

Proverbs 7:7

American Standard Version

⁷And I beheld among the simple ones,
I discerned among the youths,
A young man void of understanding,

²¹Folly is a joy to one who lacks sense,^[a]
but one who has understanding^[b] follows an upright course.^[c]

Proverbs 15:21 tn Heb “lacking of mind.” The term לֵב (lev, “mind, heart”) refers by metonymy to thinking, and by extension to discernment, wisdom, good sense (cf. NIV “judgment”). The one who has not developed this ability to make proper choices finds great delight in folly.
Proverbs 15:21 tn Heb “a man of understanding” (so KJV, NIV); NLT “a sensible person.”
Proverbs 15:21 tn The Hebrew construction is יְיַשֶּׁר־לָכֶת (y^eyasher lakhet, “makes straight [to] go”). This is a verbal hendiadys, in which the first verb, the Piel imperfect, becomes adverbial, and the second form, the infinitive construct of הָלַךְ, halakh, becomes the main verb: “goes straight ahead” (cf. NRSV).

²¹Folly is joy to him that is void of ^[a]wisdom;
But a man of understanding maketh straight his going.

¹⁸The one who lacks sense^[a] strikes hands in pledge,^[b]
and puts up financial security^[c] for his neighbor.^[d]

Proverbs 17:18 tn Heb “lacking of mind.” The term לֵב (lev, “mind, heart”) refers by metonymy to thinking, and by extension to discernment, wisdom, good sense. Cf. KJV, ASV “a man void of understanding”; NIV “a man lacking in judgment.”
Proverbs 17:18 tn The phrase “in pledge” is supplied for the sake of clarification.
Proverbs 17:18 tn The line uses the participle עֹרֵב (ʿorev) with its cognate accusative עֲרֻבָּה (ʿarubbah), “who pledges a pledge.”
Proverbs 17:18 sn It is foolish to pledge security for someone’s loans (e.g., Prov 6:1-5).

¹⁸A man void of ^[a]understanding striketh hands,
And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor.

New English Translation (NET)

American Standard Version (ASV)