Pro 26:12 | KD | STEP | Seest thou a man who is wise in his own eyes? The fool hath more hope than he. Regarding the perf. hypotheticum ראית, vid ., at Pro 22:29. Line second is repeated, , unchanged. ממּנּוּ, prae eo , is equivalent to the Mishnic יותר ממּנּוּ, plus quam ei . As the conversion of a sinner, who does not regard himself as righteous, is more to be expected than that of a self-righteous man (Mat 9:12.), so the putting right of a fool, who is conscious that he is not wise (cf. ), is more likely to be effected than that of one deeming himself wise; for the greatest hindrance to any turning toward that which is better lies in the delusion that he does not need it. Thus far the group of proverbs regarding fools.

‏ Proverbs 26:12

Pro 26:12 12 Seest thou a man who is wise in his own eyes? The fool hath more hope than he.

Regarding the perf. hypotheticum ראית, vid., at Pro 22:29. Line second is repeated, Pro 29:20, unchanged. ממּנּוּ, prae eo, is equivalent to the Mishnic יותר ממּנּוּ, plus quam ei. As the conversion of a sinner, who does not regard himself as righteous, is more to be expected than that of a self-righteous man (Mat 9:12.), so the putting right of a fool, who is conscious that he is not wise (cf. Pro 24:7), is more likely to be effected than that of one deeming himself wise; for the greatest hindrance to any turning toward that which is better lies in the delusion that he does not need it. ^{▼▼The Targum has 12b after Codd. פּקח סכלא טב מגּיהּ (= Syr. pekach, expedit, convenit, melius est), it is far better circumstanced regarding the fool than regarding him. Vid., Geiger’s Zeitschr. vi. (1868), p. 154.}

Thus far the group of proverbs regarding fools.