24 Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Before him - Set straight before his eyes as the mark to which they look. Others, following the Septuagint and Vulgate, interpret the verse, Wisdom is seen in the clear, stedfast look of the wise man as contrasted with the wandering gaze of the fool.
Are in the ends of the earth - Wisdom is within the sight and reach at every man: but he whose desires are scattered abroad, who is always aiming at impossible things, or is of an unsteady disposition, is not likely to find it.
Wisdom [is] before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool [are] in the (m) ends of the earth.
(m) That is, wander to and fro, and seek not after wisdom.
Wisdom is before him that hath understanding,.... Is near him, to direct and assist him; it is before him as a rule to walk by, and it is the mark he aims at. A man of spiritual understanding has the book of wisdom before him, the Scriptures of truth, which are able to make a man wise to salvation; and he steers his course according to them; he sets Christ, the Wisdom of God, always before him; and keeps his eye on the mark for the prize, all the while he is running his Christian race: or, "in the face of an understanding man is wisdom" (a); it is to be seen in his countenance, which is grave and composed;
but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth; where wisdom is not to be found, it is far off from him; his mind is wandering after every object, is unsettled and unfixed to anything; and which may be discerned in his eyes, which are rolling about and turning, first one way and then another; and which shows the levity and inconstancy of his mind.
(a) "in facie prudentis (lucet) sapientia", V. L. so Vatablus, Mercerus, Gejerus, Piscator, Noldius, p. 140. No. 665. "in vultu intelligentis sapientia", Schultens.
The prudent man keeps the word of God continually in view. But the foolish man cannot fix his thoughts, nor pursue any purpose with steadiness.
Wisdom . . . him--ever an object of regard, while a fool's affections are unsettled.
24 The understanding has his attention toward wisdom;
But the eyes of a fool are on the end of the earth.
Many interpreters explain, as Euchel:
"The understanding finds wisdom everywhere;
The eyes of the fool seek it at the end of the world."
Ewald refers to Deuteronomy 30:11-14 as an unfolding of the same thought. But although it may be said of the fool (vid., on the contrary, Proverbs 15:14) that he seeks wisdom, only not at the right place, as at Proverbs 14:6, of the mocker that he seeks wisdom but in vain, yet here the order of the words, as well as the expression, lead us to another thought: before the eyes of the understanding את־פּניע, as Genesis 33:18; 1-Samuel 2:11, and frequently in the phrase 'את־פני ה, e.g., 1-Samuel 1:22) wisdom lies as his aim, his object, the end after which he strives; on the contrary, the eyes of the fool, without keeping that one necessary thing in view, wander in alia omnia, and roam about what is far off, without having any fixed object. The fool is everywhere with his thoughts, except where he ought to be. Leaving out of view that which lies nearest, he loses himself in aliena. The understanding has an ever present theme of wisdom, which arrests his attention, and on which he concentrates himself; but the fool flutters about fantastically from one thing to another, and that which is to him precisely of least importance interests him the most.
In the face - His wisdom appears even in his looks. The eyes - Minding most, those things which are remotest from him, and least concern him.
*More commentary available at chapter level.