Proverbs 10:23

[It is] as sport to a fool to do mischief,.... To do any injury to the persons and properties of men; which shows a most wicked and malicious spirit, a very depraved nature indeed: or rather "to commit sin" o of any sort, which he has devised in his own heart; it is as a "laughing" p, as the words may be rendered; it is a laughing matter to him, he commits sin, and, when he has done it, laughs at it; instead of being ashamed of it, and humbled for it, he makes a mock at it, and a jest of it, as well as of all religion, and of the reproofs and admonitions of good men. Sin is pastime, he takes as much delight and pleasure in it as men do in their sports, and commits it as openly and freely; yea, not only takes pleasure in doing it himself, but in them that do it; see Proverbs 14:9;

but a man of understanding hath wisdom; to avoid sin, and not to do it, which is true wisdom, Job 28:28; for he has, as it may be rendered, from the use of the word in the Arabic language q, a "bridle" or "restraint" upon him, that he cannot do mischief and delight in it, as the fool does: or "so [is] wisdom to a man of understanding" r; that is, to do it; as it is a pleasure to a feel to commit sin, so it is a delight to an understanding man to do that which is wise and good; it is "meat and drink" to do the will of God, see John 4:34; he takes as much pleasure in it as men can do in their sports and pastimes; he has a truer pleasure and a better relish than they have; he delights in the law of God after the inward man; and Wisdom's ways, or the ways of Christ, are pleasantness to him; he runs the ways of his commandments with great alacrity and cheerfulness.

o עשות זמה "facere scelus", Montanus, Baynus, Junius Tremellius, Cocceius, Michaelis "perpetrare scelus", Piscator; "patrare facinus", Schultens. p כשחוק "veluti risus", Mercerus, Gejerus, Michaelis. q Vid. Schultens de Defect. Hod. Ling. Heb. s. 216. r So some in Gejerus.