Charles Ellicott Commentary Proverbs 1:22

"How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?" — Proverbs 1:22 (ASV)

How long ...—Three classes of persons are here addressed:

1. Simple ones, open to good influences, but also to evil (Proverbs 1:4).
2. Scorners (lçtsîm), men who despised what was holy, priding themselves on their cleverness in so doing (Proverbs 14:6), who avoided the wise and held themselves above their advice (Proverbs 15:12), proud, arrogant men (Proverbs 21:24). The name first appears at the time of Solomon, when the prosperity of the nation was favourable to the growth of religious indifference and scepticism. Isaiah had to deal with them in his day, too (Isaiah 28:14).
3. Fools (khesîlîm), dull, stupid persons, stolidly confident in their own wisdom.