The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.
The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but (it is) abomination to fools to depart from evil.
Compare Proverbs 13:12, "When the desire cometh, it is a tree of life." A canon of interpretation in Proverbs is, In antithetical clauses an opposite member is often suppressed in one clause, and has to be supplied from the opposition of the other member in the corresponding clause (Gataker). Thus, here, the desire of the wise or good being accomplished by their departing from evil is sweet to their soul; but as it is abomination to fools to depart from evil, their desire being not accomplished is not sweet, nay, it "maketh the heart sick" (Proverbs 13:12). Compare Psalms 145:19, "The Lord will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him." As the wise desire the possession of the true good, and by departing from evil attain to it, so that it is "sweet to the soul;" so fools desire the possession of what is good and "sweet to the soul:" but as they will not de depart from evil, they fail in attaining to what is "sweet to the soul," but shall have bitter and everlasting grief. Just as if there were two patients, both desiring health; the one avoiding forbidden foods, and using the prescribed dregs would recover health, to his joy; the other, disliking the remedies, and indulging his appetite, would fail to recover, and would die (Gejer). The reason why fools abominate to depart from evil is because evil is sweet to them, and they like to indulge their own passions and lusts.