“Non recipit stultus verba prudentiæ, nisi ea dixeris quæ versantur in corde ejus.”
“A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.”
“A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions.”
“A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.”
“A fool hath no delight in understanding, But only that his heart may reveal itself.”
Heart. Conformable to his passions. (Calmet) — Hebrew, “unless to lay open his heart.” He wishes to appear wise, and to justify his wicked designs. (Haydock)
The original here is difficult, and differently understood. 1. Some take it as a rebuke to an affected singularity. When men take a pride in separating themselves from the sentiments and society of others, in contradicting all that has been said before them and advancing new notions of their own, which, though ever so absurd, they are wedded to, it is to gratify a desire or lust of vain-glory, and they are seekers and meddlers with that which does not belong to them. He seeks according to his desire, and intermeddles with every business, pretends to pass a judgment upon every man's matter. He is morose and supercilious. Those generally are so that are opinionative and conceited, and they thus make themselves ridiculous, and are vexatious to others. 2. Our translation seems to take it as an excitement to diligence in the pursuit of wisdom. If we would get knowledge or grace, we must desire it, as that which we need and which will be of great advantage to us, 1 Cor 12 31. We must separate ourselves from all those things which would divert us from or retard us in the pursuit, retire out of the noise of this world's vanities, and then seek and intermeddle with all the means and instructions of wisdom, be willing to take pains and try all the methods of improving ourselves, be acquainted with a variety of opinions, that we may prove all things and hold fast that which is good.