Paragraph 24:7 Saying 22

24:7

This saying describes a foolish person’s lack of wisdom and its consequences. The second line gives the context as well as the result of the first line.

7a Wisdom is too high for a fool;

7b he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.

In a context where community leaders have gathered to conduct business, a fool cannot understand their wise words. As a result, he cannot participate effectively in the discussion.

In some languages, it may be helpful to make the relationship between the two lines explicit. For example:

7b
⌊so⌋ in the assembly at the gate…
-or-
7b
⌊as a result,⌋ when leaders gather to discuss important things…

See the General Comment after the note on 24:7b for a way to reorder 24:7a–b.

24:7a

Wisdom is too high for a fool:
This line indicates that a fool is not able to understand the thoughts, plans, and decisions of wise people. Their Wisdom is beyond his ability to appreciate or comprehend. Some other ways to translate this line are:

Foolish people cannot understand wisdom. (New Century Version)
-or-
Matters of wisdom are beyond the grasp of a stubborn fool. (God’s Word)
-or-
The thoughts of wise people are too deep for a fool.

fool: In Hebrew, this word refers to someone who is a moral fool, not someone who lacks intelligence. He is unwilling to do what is right or to avoid what is wrong. The reason he cannot understand wisdom is that he refuses to accept it. Some other ways to translate this word are:

⌊stubborn⌋ fool
-or-
⌊insolent⌋ fool

24:7b

he does not open his mouth: This clause, which the Berean Standard Bible translates literally, probably means that the fool remains quiet. He does not speak.

in the meeting place: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “in the gate.” It refers to the gate in the walls that surrounded a city. City leaders assembled in the area near the gate to discuss business matters and decide legal cases. This is why the Berean Standard Bible has translated this phrase as in the meeting place. Some ways to translate this Hebrew phrase are:

• Keep the reference to “the gate.” Make the cultural function explicit. For example:

Among leaders at the city gate (New Living Translation (2004))

• Translate the function of being at “the gate.” Do not refer to “the gate” explicitly. For example:

in a discussion (New Century Version)
-or-
when important matters are being discussed (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 24:7a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to state the result before the reason. For example:

7b When people gather to discuss important business, the fool keeps quiet,

7a because he cannot understand what wise people are talking about.

Use a natural order in your language to translate the relationship between these two lines.

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