“The naïve inherit folly.” The Hebrew word for naïve is peti (#06612 פֶּ֫תִי), and refers to the fool who is foolish because they are naïve, simple (simple-minded), ignorant or inexperienced (see commentary on Prov. 9:6), and they “inherit folly.” The word “inherits” is an ironic, and almost harsh, pun, because we expect to inherit things that are a blessing to us. However, the naïve and ignorant person “inherits,” i.e., acquires for himself or gets given to him, “folly.” Folly, ivveleth (#0200) is the foolishness of those who stubbornly resist God and godliness (see commentary on Prov. 1:7; “fools”). Those who are ignorant are repetitively faced with the opportunity to acquire knowledge, so that eventually they either gain wisdom and cease to be naïve fools, or they are no longer simply naïve and ignorant, but stubborn as well.