Proverbs 27:22 kjv

Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

Proverbs 27:22 nkjv

Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

Proverbs 27:22 niv

Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them.

Proverbs 27:22 esv

Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his folly will not depart from him.

Proverbs 27:22 nlt

You cannot separate fools from their foolishness,
even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle.

Proverbs 27 verses

Meaning

This proverb asserts that extreme, painful, and repetitive disciplinary measures are utterly ineffective in eradicating the deeply ingrained foolishness of a particular type of individual. Just as pounding grain with a pestle in a mortar thoroughly breaks down the kernels, even such a severe and comprehensive "grinding" process cannot remove the inherent folly from one whose heart is stubbornly resistant to wisdom and correction. It highlights the internal nature of true foolishness, which is more a disposition of the heart than a mere lack of information, rendering external force futile for inner transformation.

Cross References

Context

Proverbs chapter 27 offers a collection of varied wisdom sayings, often contrasted in pairs or small clusters. Many verses focus on themes of friendship, counsel, self-reliance, the nature of a wise person versus a fool, and the unpredictability of life. Verse 22 specifically continues the extended wisdom tradition regarding the "fool" ('evil), a person who is not merely lacking knowledge but actively despises wisdom, instruction, and righteousness. This proverb underscores the futility of external corrective measures when the internal disposition of the heart remains unchanged, emphasizing the profound stubbornness and innate resistance to learning that characterizes the deeply foolish individual. Historically, wisdom literature in ancient Israel aimed to instruct in practical living aligned with divine principles, distinguishing between paths of wisdom and folly, often using strong imagery to convey profound truths about human nature. The image of pounding grain was common household imagery in a time before advanced milling techniques, making the hyperbole particularly striking to the original audience.

Word analysis

• Though you pound / כִּי-תַּחְבֹּוט (ki-takhbot):

  • Derived from the Hebrew root חבט (khavat), meaning "to beat," "thresh," or "beat out." It describes a violent, repetitive, and exhaustive action.
  • Significance: Emphasizes extreme effort and force, not merely gentle persuasion. It implies a thorough, almost violent, attempt at alteration or removal.

• a fool / אֱוִיל (ʾěwîl):

  • One of several Hebrew words for "fool," ʾěwîl specifically denotes a person who is brutish, arrogant, spiritually ignorant, and resistant to instruction. This type of fool is often characterized by contempt for wisdom and discipline.
  • Significance: The verse specifically targets this hardened type of fool, whose folly is an inherent disposition, unlike someone momentarily unwise.

• in a mortar / בַּמַּכְתֵּישׁ (bam-makhtesh):

  • A heavy, typically stone or wooden, bowl used for crushing or grinding substances.
  • Significance: Represents a confined space where the intense, forceful process takes place. The image is of something being totally subjected to the crushing action.

• with a pestle / בַּמַּעֲבִישׁ (bam-ma'ăviysh):

  • A heavy, club-shaped tool used for pounding or grinding in a mortar.
  • Significance: The active instrument of intense, repetitive, physical pressure. Together with the mortar, it conveys a metaphor of severe, sustained corrective force.

• along with crushed grain / בַּכַּמֶּשׂ (ba-kammaṣ):

  • Literally "in coarse grains" or "grits," referring to crushed wheat or barley.
  • Significance: The imagery implies a thorough and inescapable process. Just as grain is reduced to fine particles, the fool is subjected to an equally thorough "grinding," emphasizing that no part of their being is untouched by the effort to reform them.

• his folly / אִוַּלְתּוֹ (ʾiwwaltō):

  • The noun form of ʾěwîl, referring to the state or quality of being foolish, stubborn resistance to wisdom, moral ignorance.
  • Significance: This is what is not removed. It underscores that the problem is not external behavior but an internal condition, a fundamental disposition of the heart and mind.

• will not depart / לֹא-תָּסוּר (lo'-tāsûr):

  • From the verb סור (sur), meaning "to turn aside," "depart," or "remove." The negative particle "lo" indicates an absolute denial.
  • Significance: Declares the futility and ultimate inability of external means to bring about this specific kind of internal change. It highlights the stubborn, intractable nature of the ʾěwîl fool's inherent disposition.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Though you pound a fool... with a pestle along with crushed grain": This phrase paints a vivid picture of extreme, intensive, and exhaustive physical effort. The imagery is hyperbolic, meaning it's not to be taken literally as an instructional method. It functions as a powerful metaphor for any and all severe, external, and perhaps even violent attempts to alter a person's fundamental character or worldview through mere force or repetitive pressure. The comparison to crushing grain emphasizes the thoroughness and universality of the process – everything is being "worked over" vigorously.
• "yet his folly will not depart from him": This part reveals the profound, almost hopeless, conclusion. Despite the ultimate exertion depicted, the inner state of "folly" remains completely untouched. This signifies that true foolishness, especially of the ʾěwîl type, is deeply rooted in the heart and mind. It is not an external problem that can be corrected by external means but an internal disposition resistant to all outward force. The message is that the problem lies not in the method of correction, no matter how severe, but in the nature of the one being corrected.

Commentary

Proverbs 27:22 delivers a stark and impactful message about the incorrigible nature of the deeply foolish individual. It employs a strong hyperbole, presenting an extreme, almost brutal image of "grinding" a person in a mortar, a common domestic task. The intent is not to suggest such an action but to convey that even the most rigorous, painful, or persistent external efforts, similar to how grain is utterly transformed by pounding, cannot fundamentally change a person whose foolishness is an intrinsic part of their being—their chosen, hardened disposition.

The "fool" (אֱוִיל, 'evil) here is not merely ignorant or naive, but one who actively rejects wisdom, instruction, and moral truth. Their folly is deeply embedded in their character, an internal state of heart and mind that resists external intervention. This proverb cautions against the futile expenditure of effort on those whose hearts are impenetrable to wisdom. It implies a significant boundary on human ability to bring about ultimate transformation through force or discipline alone, pointing to the need for a deeper, internal change.

The practical application lies in discernment: while correction and discipline are vital tools (Prov 13:24, Heb 12:6), there comes a point where continued effort on a truly hardened fool becomes pointless. It encourages redirecting energies towards those who are receptive to wisdom, recognizing that genuine transformation, especially spiritual, ultimately requires a change of heart, often supernaturally gifted by God (Eze 36:26).

Examples:

• A parent relentlessly disciplining a child who repeatedly disobeys fundamental instructions, seeing no change because the child's heart remains rebellious.
• A leader attempting to impose strict rules and punishments on an unprincipled individual, only to find the person adapts to avoid detection rather than changing their corrupt nature.
• A preacher constantly presenting biblical truths to a person whose heart is openly scornful and contemptuous of God, recognizing that until their heart softens, the words will have no true effect.

Bonus section

The intensity of the imagery also underscores the frustration often felt when dealing with deeply foolish people. The proverb acknowledges the futility of conventional efforts to instill wisdom where it is actively despised. It implicitly argues for an internal, spiritual solution over external compulsion for true character transformation. The verse does not, however, condone giving up on all forms of correction or influence. Rather, it draws a crucial distinction between corrective discipline that shapes behavior and true heart change, which cannot be pounded in. The ancient wisdom literature, in instances like this, frequently used such powerful and exaggerated scenarios to embed its profound truths vividly into the minds of its hearers, making the lesson unforgettable. This proverb aligns with the broader biblical truth that significant moral and spiritual transformation comes not primarily from external pressure but from an inward change enabled by God.