For he sees that even wise people die; The foolish and the stupid alike perish And leave their wealth to others.

This is the way of those who are foolish, And of those after them who approve their words. Selah

Foolishness and Wickedness of People.

For the music director; according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good.

God, You know my foolishness, And my guilt is not hidden from You.

Remember this, Lord, that the enemy has taunted You, And a foolish people has treated Your name disrespectfully.

Arise, God, and plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish person taunts You all day long.

I will hear what God the Lord will say; For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; And may they not turn back to foolishness.

A stupid person has no knowledge, Nor does a foolish person understand this:

Pay attention, you stupid ones among the people; And when will you understand, foolish ones?

Fools, because of their rebellious way, And because of their guilty deeds, were afflicted.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

“How long, you naive ones, will you love simplistic thinking? And how long will scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?

For the faithlessness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them.

The wise will inherit honor, But fools increase dishonor.

He will die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his foolishness he will go astray.

Suddenly he follows her As an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as one walks in ankle bracelets to the discipline of a fool,

You naive ones, understand prudence; And, you fools, understand wisdom!

Abandon your foolishness and live, And proceed in the way of understanding.”

A woman of foolishness is boisterous, She has a lack of understanding and knows nothing.

Contrast of the Righteous and the Wicked

The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.

The wise of heart will receive commands, But a babbling fool will come to ruin.

He who winks the eye causes trouble, And a babbling fool will come to ruin.

Wise people store up knowledge, But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

One who conceals hatred has lying lips, And one who spreads slander is a fool.

The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding.