H5531b H5531b
Folly, foolishness; the opposite of wisdom, examined philosophically in Ecclesiastes.
A feminine abstract noun meaning folly or foolishness, appearing exclusively in Ecclesiastes as the conceptual counterpart to wisdom (chokmah). Qoheleth systematically investigates folly alongside wisdom, declaring that he 'turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly' (Eccl 2:12). He observes that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness (2:13), yet the same fate befalls both the wise and the fool. In Ecclesiastes 7:25, the preacher applies his heart to know 'the wickedness of folly and the foolishness of madness.' The word appears with the article or conjunctive waw in most instances, treated as a known philosophical category. Spanish 'necedad' and French 'folie' both capture the moral-intellectual deficiency Qoheleth anatomizes.
Senses
1. folly — Folly or foolishness as an abstract quality, examined philosophically in the book of Ecclesiastes as the antithesis of wisdom. Qoheleth uses this word in his systematic investigation of human experience: he 'gave his heart to know folly' (Eccl 2:3), compared it with wisdom (2:12-13), and concluded that both the wise and the foolish share the same mortal fate. In 7:25 and 10:1,13 the word describes the destructive irrationality that undermines wisdom's achievements. Its exclusive appearance in Ecclesiastes distinguishes it from other Hebrew words for foolishness (iwwelet, nebalah), giving it a distinctly philosophical register. Spanish 'necedad' and French 'folie' consistently render this abstract intellectual-moral concept. 6×
AR["بِـ-الحَمَاقَةِ", "سِكْلُوت", "عَلَى-", "وَالحَمَاقَةَ", "وَحَمَاقَةً"]·ben["এবং-মূর্খতা", "মূর্খতা", "মূর্খতায়", "মূর্খতার"]·DE["[בסכלות]", "[הסכלות]", "[והסכלות]", "[וסכלות]", "[סכלות]"]·EN["and-folly", "and-the-foolishness", "folly", "in-folly", "is-folly", "the-folly"]·FR["dans-folie", "et-folie", "folie", "le-folie"]·heb["ב-סכלות", "ה-סכלות", "ו-ה-סכלות", "ו-סכלות", "סכלות"]·HI["और-मूर्खता", "मूर्खता", "मूर्खता-में"]·ID["dan-kebodohan", "kebodohan"]·IT["e-follia", "e-il-follia", "follia", "il-follia", "in-follia"]·jav["ing-kabodhowan", "kabodhowan", "lan-kamuntiran", "lan-kamurkan"]·KO["그리고-어리석음", "그리고-어리석음-그", "어리석음", "어리석음-그", "어리석음-을"]·PT["a-insensatez", "e-a-insensatez", "e-insensatez", "em-insensatez", "insensatez", "é-insensatez"]·RU["в-глупости,", "глупость", "глупость,", "глупостью,", "и-безумие -", "и-глупость;"]·ES["la-necedad", "necedad", "y-la-insensatez", "y-necedad"]·SW["na-upumbavu", "ni-upumbavu", "upumbavu"]·TR["aptalliga", "aptalligin", "aptallik", "ve-aptallik"]·urd["اور-حماقت", "حماقت", "حماقت-کو"]
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† סִכְלוּת, שִׂכְלוּת n.f. folly;—ס׳ Ec 2:3, 12, 13; 7:25; 10:1, 13; שׂ׳ Ec 1:17 (שׂ erroneously for ס).