14:18

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

18a
The simple inherit folly,

18b but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

14:18a

The simple inherit folly: There is a textual issue here. It involves the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as inherit :

(1) The Masoretic Text has naḥalu “inherit.” Here it is used figuratively to mean “acquire or gain as one’s destiny or permanent possession.” For example:

Simpletons have folly for their portion (New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) To achieve better parallelism, some scholars propose that the original text had different vowels, resulting in the word neḥelu “adorned.” For example:

The simple are adorned with folly (New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most versions and scholars. The MT makes good sense, and there is no support for option (2) in the ancient versions.

simple: This word was last used in 14:15a. For more information, see simple in the Glossary.

inherit: In this context, to inherit or “acquire” folly means to become less and less able to do what is right and to avoid what is wrong. One way to translate this meaning is:

A naive/gullible person becomes more and more foolish

folly: The word folly refers to a person’s moral foolishness—the inability or refusal to do what is morally right or to avoid what is wrong. It is also possible that folly here is a figure of speech that represents the results of foolish behavior. Some English versions seem to reflect this interpretation. For example:

Ignorant people get what their foolishness deserves (Good News Translation)

You may follow either approach.

14:18b

but the prudent are crowned with knowledge: This clause is a figure of speech. It probably compares knowledge to a crown that sensible people gain as a reward for their wisdom. Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:

• Keep the figure of speech. For example:

but sensible people are crowned with knowledge (God’s Word)

• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:

but the clever are rewarded with knowledge (Good News Translation)
-or-
but a shrewd person gains knowledge as his reward

The word prudent was last used in 14:15b. For more information, see prudence in the Glossary.

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