This abstract noun captures the quality of being simple or naive—not in an innocent sense, but in the problematic condition of lacking wisdom. In Proverbs, the simple are those who haven't yet chosen the path of understanding, who remain open to folly because they haven't developed discernment. The word addresses a state that can be remedied through instruction, but it's also a dangerous vulnerability. Wisdom literature repeatedly urges the simple to wake up and choose understanding.