The Meaning of Proverbs 1:32 Explained

Proverbs 1:32

KJV: For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

YLT: For the turning of the simple slayeth them, And the security of the foolish destroyeth them.

Darby: For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall cause them to perish.

ASV: For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the turning away  of the simple  shall slay  them, and the prosperity  of fools  shall destroy  them. 

What does Proverbs 1:32 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 1:20-33 - The Call Of Wisdom
The word Wisdom and the description of her standing atthe head of the noisy streets-see Proverbs 1:21, r.v., margin-remind us of our Lord, who, as the Word of God, stood and cried, John 7:37. It is a remarkable picture of the world as it is today. The streets filled with traffickers, with the bawling of wares, with the crowds of idle sightseers, and amid it all the ringing appeal of Christ to the heart of man! But the scorners deride and mock, while fools hate the speaker and threaten his life. Yet there is no crowded thoroughfare in the world from which the Spirit of God is absent. See Matthew 22:1-10.
The two results that divide the hearers are set forth in words that are always receiving verification. The day of calamity, when banks suspend payment, and the boldest speculators lose heart, breaks suddenly on the worldling. He has no hiding-place, no second line of defense, no spiritual treasure; and is like a drowning sailor in a tempestuous sea. But "Wisdom is justified of all her children," for they dwell safely. See Proverbs 1:33 and Luke 7:35. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 1

1  The use of the proverbs
7  An exhortation to fear God, and believe his word
10  to avoid the enticing of sinners
20  Wisdom complains of her contempt
24  She threatens her contemners

What do the individual words in Proverbs 1:32 mean?

For the turning away of the simple will slay them and the complacency of fools will destroy them
כִּ֤י מְשׁוּבַ֣ת פְּתָיִ֣ם תַּֽהַרְגֵ֑ם וְשַׁלְוַ֖ת כְּסִילִ֣ים תְּאַבְּדֵֽם

מְשׁוּבַ֣ת  the  turning  away 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מְשׁוּבָה  
Sense: turning away, turning back, apostasy, backsliding.
פְּתָיִ֣ם  of  the  simple 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: פֶּתִי 
Sense: simplicity, naivete adj.
תַּֽהַרְגֵ֑ם  will  slay  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
וְשַׁלְוַ֖ת  and  the  complacency 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שַׁלְוָה  
Sense: quietness, ease, prosperity.
כְּסִילִ֣ים  of  fools 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: כְּסִיל  
Sense: fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one.
תְּאַבְּדֵֽם  will  destroy  them 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person feminine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.