Pro 7:7 | NET2full | STEP | and I saw among the naive — I discerned among the youths

‏ Proverbs 7:7

7 and I saw among the naive ^{▼▼tn Heb פֶּתִי (peti, “naive, simpleton”).} ^{▼▼sn This naive young man who lacked wisdom is one of the פֶּתִי (peti) simpletons, lacking keen judgment, one void of common sense (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT) or understanding (cf. KJV, ASV). He is young, inexperienced, featherbrained (so D. Kidner, Proverbs [TOTC], 75).} —
I discerned among the youths ^{▼▼tc Heb “sons.” The MT reads בַבָּנִים (vabbanim) “among the sons,” perhaps meaning “young men” (cf. Song 2:3; HALOT 138, s. v. I בֵּן). Based on the Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate, perhaps the text should read בַנְבָלִים (vanevalim, “among the fools”).} —
a young man ^{▼▼tn Heb “lad” or “youth.”} who lacked sense. ^{▼▼tn The term לֵב (lev, “mind, heart”) is used as a metonymy of association for what one does with the mind (thinking), and so refers to discernment, wisdom, good sense.}