H6612a H6612a
Simple, naive, gullible — an inexperienced person open to influence, for good or ill, in Wisdom literature
Derived from the root patah ('to be open, entice'), this adjective describes a person whose mind is open but undiscerning — easily swayed toward wisdom or folly. In Proverbs, the peti is the primary addressee of instruction: lacking shrewdness (1:4), believing every word (14:15), and loving simplicity rather than knowledge (1:22). Yet the term is not purely negative; Psalm 116:6 declares that the LORD preserves the simple. Multilingual translations capture this range well — Spanish 'sencillo/simple,' French 'simple' — highlighting the tension between innocence and gullibility.
Senses
1. simple, naive person — A naive or inexperienced person who is open to persuasion, whether toward wisdom or folly. Proverbs presents the peti as the young hearer who must choose between Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly (Prov 9:4, 16). The term sits between the wise (chakham) and the fool (kesil), suggesting a redeemable naivete. Psalm 19:7 affirms that God's testimony makes the simple wise, while Psalm 116:6 shows divine care for the guileless. 18×
AR["أَيُّهَا-الْبُسَطَاءُ", "البُسَطاءَ", "البُسَطَاءَ", "السَّاذَجَ", "الْبَسِيطُ", "الْبُسَطاءُ", "الْبُسَطَاءِ", "بَسِيطٌ", "بَيْنَ-الْبُسَطَاءِ", "ساذِجٌ", "سُذَّجٌ", "وَ-الْبُسَطاءُ", "وَ-ساذِجٌ", "وَ-مِنْ-سَاذَجٍ"]·ben["-কে-সরলমনাদের", "এবং-অজ্ঞ-থেকে", "এবং-সরল", "কিন্তু-সরলেরা", "সরল", "সরলকে", "সরলগণ", "সরলতা", "সরলদের", "সরলদের-মধ্যে", "সরলমনাদের", "সরলরা", "হে-সরলমনারা"]·DE["Einfaeltige", "Einfaeltiger", "[ומפתי]", "[ופתיים]", "[פתים]", "der-simple", "in-Einfaeltige", "und-Einfaeltiger", "zu-Einfaeltige", "zu-der-simple"]·EN["O-simple-ones", "among-the-simple", "and-from-simple", "and-simple", "but-the-simple", "is-simple", "simple", "simpleness", "the-simple", "to-the-simple"]·FR["et-simple", "simple", "à-simple"]·heb["ב-פתאים", "ו-מ-פתי", "ו-פתאים", "ו-פתי", "ל-פתאים", "פתאים", "פתי"]·HI["और-भोला", "और-भोले-से", "परंतु-भोले", "भोला", "भोलापन", "भोले", "भोले-को", "भोलो", "भोलों-का", "भोलों-को", "भोलों-में"]·ID["Orang-yang-bodoh", "dan-dari-yang-bodoh", "di-antara-orang-orang-bodoh", "kebodohan", "kepada-orang-orang-bodoh", "maka-orang-bodoh", "orang-bodoh", "orang-orang-bodoh", "orang-orang-sederhana", "tetapi-orang-bodoh", "yang-bodoh"]·IT["[ומפתי]", "e-semplice", "nel-semplice", "per-semplice", "semplice"]·jav["dhateng-tiyang-bodho", "hé-tiyang-bodho", "ing-tiyang-bodho", "kabodohan", "kang-bodho", "lan-saking-tiyang-ingkang-bodho", "nanging-tiyang-bodho", "supados-tiyang-bodho", "tiyang-bodho", "tiyang-prasaja", "tiyang-tiyang-prasaja"]·KO["그러나-어리석은-자들은", "그러면-어리석은-자는", "그리고-에-어리석은-자로부터", "단순한-자-를", "단순한-자들-을", "어리석은-자-는", "어리석은-자-들-아", "어리석은-자-들-에게", "어리석은-자-들-의", "어리석은-자-들-이", "어리석은-자-들-중-에", "어리석은-자-야", "어리석은-자가", "어리석은-자들-을", "어리석은-자들이"]·PT["Simples", "ao-simples", "aos-simples", "e-de-simples", "e-simples", "entre-os-simples", "os-simples", "simples"]·RU["а-простаки", "и-неопытного", "и-простак", "простак", "простака", "простакам", "простаки", "простаки,", "простаков", "простодушных", "простых", "среди-простаков,"]·ES["Simple", "a-los-sencillos", "a-los-simples", "a-simples", "al-simple", "entre-los-simples", "pero-los-simples", "simple", "simples", "y-de-simple", "y-el-simple"]·SW["au-asiyejua", "kwa-wajinga", "lakini-wajinga", "miongoni-mwa-wajinga", "mjinga", "na-mjinga", "ujinga", "wajinga", "wasio-na-uzoefu"]·TR["ey-saf-olanlar", "fakat-saflar", "saf", "saf-olanlar", "saf-olanlar-arasında", "saf-olanlara", "saf-olanların", "saf-olanı", "saflar", "saflığı", "saftı", "ve-saf", "ve-saf-olan"]·urd["اور-سادہ-لوح", "اور-ناسمجھ-سے", "اے-سادہ-لوحو", "بے-تجربہ-میں", "سادہ-دلوں-کو", "سادہ-لوح", "سادہ-لوحوں-کو", "سادہ-لوحوں-کی", "سادہ-لوحی", "سادہ-لوگوں-کا", "سادہ-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
† פֶּ֫תִי [for פָּתַי LagBN 52 BaZMG xiii (1888), 353; NB 320] adj. simple, poss. as open-minded;—פֶּ֫תִי Pr 9:4 +, פֶּ֑תִי ψ 19:8 +; pl. פְּתָאיִם (Ges§ 93 x) 116:6 + 6 times Pr; פְּתָיִים 119:130 Pr 22:3; פְּתָיִם 1:22, 32;—simple, as subst. concr.: open to the instruction of wisdom or folly, Pr 9:4, 16; believing every word 14:15; lacking עָרְמָה 1:4; 8:5; 19:25; needing בין ψ 119:130, חכמה…