Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? (there is) more hope of a fool ( kªciyl (H3684 ): here a dull man: negatively, not positively and wilfully a fool) than of him. Because there is some chance of one who is "a fool" from natural infirmity receiving remedial instruction, but no hope of a self-wise man doing so. He who seems wise to himself is superlatively unwise. Self-conceit is the bar to progress.