Proverbs 9:6 - Exposition

Forsake the foolish, and live; Vulgate, relinquite infantiam ; Septuagint, ἀπολείπετε ἀφροσύνην , "leave folly." These versions take the plural פְתָאִים ( petaim ) as equivalent to an abstract noun, which gives a good sense; but the plural is not so used in our book, so we must admit the rendering of the Authorized Version, "Quit the class, give up being of the category of fools," or else we must take the word as vocative, "Leave off, ye simple ones" (Revised Version), i.e. quit your simplicity, your folly. And live (see on Proverbs 4:4 ). It is not a mere prosperous life on earth that is here promised, but something far higher and better ( John 6:51 , "If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever"). The LXX . saw something of this when they paraphrased the clause, "Leave ye folly, that ye may reign forever." Go in the way of understanding. Leaving folly, stay not, but make real progress in the direction of wisdom. Septuagint, "Seek ye prudence, and direct understanding by knowledge."