Proverbs 9:16

Study note

Setting — The speaker addresses the naive and those lacking judgment, urging them to turn toward her after previously calling to passersby making their paths straight (Proverbs 9:15). This occurs during the parallel public invitations where Wisdom and Folly each issue direct calls to the same audience.

The words — פֶּתִי (pethi) identifies a naive person, while חַסַר־לֵב (chasar-lev) literally means one lacking a heart, denoting deficient discernment. The verb יָסַר (yasur) commands a turning aside or redirection toward the speaker’s location.

The thread — This identical invitation appears in Proverbs 9:4, where Wisdom addresses the same demographic. The structural parallel continues into Proverbs 9:17, where Folly issues a competing call to those passing by.

Why it lands — The text requires an immediate physical and mental redirection from the naive toward the speaker’s instruction. Readers must acknowledge that lacking judgment demands a deliberate turn toward wisdom rather than passive observation.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.