John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. Go from the presence of a foolish man , etc.] A wicked one; avoid him, shun his company, depart from him, have no fellowship with him, it, being dangerous, infectious, and hurtful; when thou perceivest not [in him] the lips of knowledge ; when it is observed that his lips pour out foolishness, what is corrupt and unsavoury, unchaste and filthy; what does not minister grace to the hearers, nor is for the use of edifying, nor any ways improving in useful knowledge, but all the reverse: the Targum is, “for there is no knowledge in his lips,” in what is expressed by them; some understand this ironically, and render the words thus, “go right against a foolish man” f391 ; join in company with him, “and thou shalt not know the lips of knowledge”, or learn anything by him; if you have a mind to be ignorant, keep company with a foolish man; so Jarchi and Gersom: or rather to this sense the words may be rendered, “go to a foolish man, seeing thou knowest not the lips of knowledge” f392 , since thou dost not approve of wise and knowing men, whose lips would teach knowledge; and despisest the Gospel, and Gospel ministers the pope of Rome, as Cocceius on the text serves, and hear him, what his holiness and infallibility says; or some other false teacher.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7 - We discover a wicked man if there is no savour of piety in his discourse.
Original Hebrew לך1980 מנגד5048 לאישׁ376 כסיל3684 ובל1077 ידעת3045 שׂפתי8193 דעת׃1847
