Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.
Scornful men (who, when reproved for sin, not only do not repent, but scorn at divine and human laws) bring a city into a snare. Scorners are especially dangerous in the legislature, as they sneer at all warnings of danger caused to the State by innovations against the divine law. Dangers are no longer light when they are despised as light. "Bring into a snare" х yaapiychuw (H6315), from puwach (H6315), 'a snare']; or, as margin, 'set on fire' (from piyach, a spark); or, 'blow violently upon' (from naapach, to blow) - i:e., excite seditions in a city.
But wise (men) turn away wrath - the wrath of God, incurred by the city through scornful men (Ezekiel 22:30; Exodus 32:10-14; Psalms 106:23).