Proverbs 23:9 - Exposition

Here is another case in which "sweet words" are lost. Speak not in the ears of a fool. This does not mean, as it would in our English phrase—whisper not to a fool; but do not take the trouble to try to make him understand, impart nothing to him. The "fool" here ( kesil ) is the dull, stolid, stupid man. who cannot be moved from his own narrow groove (see on Proverbs 1:22 ). It is a mere casting of pearls before swine ( Matthew 7:6 ) to speak to such a man of high aims, righteous motives, self-sacrifice (comp. Proverbs 9:8 ). He will despise the wisdom of thy words. He cannot enter into the meaning of words of wisdom; he has no appetite for them, he cannot assimilate them; and in his self-satisfied dulness he feels for them nothing but contempt (Ecclesiasticus 22:7, etc; "Whoso teacheth a fool is as one that glueth a potsherd together, and as he that waketh one from a sound sleep. He that telleth a tale to a fool speaketh to one in a slumber: whey he hath told his tale, he will say, What is the matter?")