Proverbs 15:7

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge,.... Scatter it about for the benefit of others; they are communicative and diffusive of it unto others, that fruit may abound to their account: so the first

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.

Disperse knowledge; freely communicate to others what they know, as they have opportunity. Doeth not so; either because he hath no knowledge to disperse, or because he hath not a heart to perform his duty, or to do good to others. Or, as others render it, and as the last Hebrew word is rendered, , and elsewhere, is not right; or the place may be rendered, the heart of the foolish (understand out of the former clause, as is very usual, disperseth by his lips) that which is not right; foolish and corrupt discourse, which is fitly opposed to knowledge.

Proverbs 15:7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish [doeth] not so.Ver. 7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge.] They are the "lights of the world," φωστηρες, and they diffuse light wherever they come, shining as lamps or luminaries, and seeking to save themselves, and those that hear them. How did those learned scribes, our famous reformers, bring forth their rich treasure, and liberally disperse it? By preaching, writing, and every way trading their talents for the church’ s good. Farellus, with his talent, gained to the faith five cities of the Cantons, with their territories. Wycliffe, Huss, Luther, Calvin, &c., how active and fruitful were they in their generations to dispread and scatter light over the Christian world, to wise and win souls to Christ. These surely shine as stars in heaven, that, like stars by their light and influence, made such a scatter of riches upon earth. Every star, saith one, is like a purse of gold, out of which God throws down riches and plenty upon the sons of men. And as it is the nature of gold to be drawn forth marvellously, so that, as the learned affirm, an ounce of gold will go as far as eight pound of silver, so it is the nature of sound knowledge to be spreading and diffusive. But the heart of the foolish doth not so.] Or, Is not right. It is "little worth," as having no true treasure in them, but froth and filth, vanity and villany: hence they do not only not disperse knowledge, which they have not, but patronise and promote ignorance and error, sow cockle as fast as wiser men do corn, and are as busy in digging descents to hell, as others are in building staircases for heaven. " Hic est ille Farellus qui Genevenses, Novocomenses, Monipelgardenses, &c., Christo lucrifacit." - Melch. Adam in vit. Zanc., de oper. Dei, part 2, lib. iii. c. 6.

(7) But the heart of the foolish doeth not so.—Or, disperseth that which is not right.

7. doeth not so] So R.V. text, with the alternative in the marg. is not stedfast, or right. Maurer, however, renders (repeating disperse from the first clause) that which is not right; and compares the use of the same Heb. word, in the phrases, “thou hast well spoken,” “speak right,” “speak well:” Exodus 10:29; Numbers 27:7; Numbers 36:5.

Not so - The word translated “so” is taken by some in its etymological force as “strong,” “firm,” and the passage is rendered “the heart of the fool disperseth (supplied from the first clause) what is weak and unsteady,” i.

7. Disperse (or diffuse) knowledge — Communicate to others for their good the knowledge which they possess. The… foolish doeth not so — Has no useful knowledge to impart. This is not a contradiction of Pro 14:33.