SIMPLE, SIMPLICITY.— The words ti^ ' simple ' in AV are (1) "PS (from n-j to be open), 'openness,' inexperience, descending to ' hei'dlessness.' In Pr 1** tlie abstract use occurs and tlie word is tr* ' simplicity,' elsewhere the meaning is personal, and the translation ' simple' or 'simple one.' In Pr 9' the translation is 'foolish' {KV 'simple ones '). ■ It occurs chiefly in Proverbs (see Oeliler, Theol. of Of, ii. 446 ; "Cheyne, Devovt Study of Criticism, 388; Schultz, Old Test. Theol. ii. '283 f.). (2) nvns, only Pr 9'*, of Folly personified. (3) S.KaKos, 'guileless,' Wis 4'^ Ko 16'". (4) aKipaios, 'sincere,' lit. 'unmixed,' Ko 16" (see Trench, Syn. § Ivi.).
Simplicity is the tr. of (1) -ns in Pr. l^^. (2) Dn (of which the plu. is D'pij, the Thummim of Heb. oracles) completeness, uprightness (from CT? to finish), only 2 S 15". (3) dirXimis, ' one- foldedness,' 'singleness,' 'sinceritv,' Wis 1', 1 Mac 2^-", Ko 128, 2 Co 1" 1I». (See Sandav-Headlam on Ro 128 . G. Montefiore in JQM vi. 469).
The Eng. adj. * simple' (used also as a subst.) signifies ' one- fold,' 'single' (from Lat. simplex, through Old Fr. viniple). This original meaning is seen, c.y. , in its application to medicines : thus Gosson, School of Abuse (Arber, p. 37), 'Chiron was ... a reader of Phisicke, by opening the natures of many simples.* And we still speak of a matter being 'simple' wheij it is not complicated. When applied to persons the meaning is now ' weakrainded,' 'foolish.' But in AV and older Eng. generally the meaning is never quite so strong as tiiat, and, when it approaches it, always implies moral blame.
1. Itwxptfrienced or unsophisticatt'd, as Gn 25^ Tind. 'Jacob was a simple man and dwelled in the tentes.' This is perhaps all that is expressed by the word in Pr !■* 'To give subtilty (ItVm ' prudene-e ') to tfie simple'; 14(5 'The simple believeth every word ' ; and especially Ro 1U19 ' I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple (AVm 'harmless') concerning evil.'
2. This inexperience may be ignorance to be instructed, or weal<ness to be defende^l. Thus Ps 197 'The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple'; llu*^ 'The Lord pre- serve! h the simple.' Cf. Hamilton, Ca(cc/iw/j, fol. xv,'Yelhat are simple and unleirnit men and weraen suld expresly beleif al the artikils of your Crede'; Is ^>3^ Cov. 'He shalbe the most symple and despised of all ' ; 60^^ Cov. ' The yongest and leest shal growe in to a tbousande, and the symplest in to a stronge people.'
3. But in Proverbs the tendency is t« regard inexperience as Ae^rf/^*(fru'«A'andalmost/o/;y, thus 14lf' The sini]ilc inherit folly' ; and as bl.imeworthy, tliu.') i22 * How long, ye yiiiiple ones, will ye love simplicity?' Cf. Itunyan, Holy War, 1'29, ' I heard him say it in Fotiy Yard, at the house of one Mr. Simple, next door to the sign of the SelJ-deceivcr.'
Simplicity has not quite the same range of meaning as 'sin.ple.' 1. Ignorance or wcakncsK, descending to folly, as Pr 1-.^, cf. Adams, Works, i. 29 — 'God, in regard to thy'sim- phcity, brings to naught all their machinations.' 2, GuilelatS' nest, rising to innocence and sincerity, as 2 S isn 'Tliey went in their siiniilicity'; Wis 1( 'Think of the Lord with a good heart, and in simnlicity of heart seek him ' ; 1 .Mac 2^" ; Ro 128 ' He that giveth.let him do itwith simplicity* (i, aTAirrTi, A Vm 'liberally.' HV 'with liberality,' KVni 'with singleness'); 2 Co 1^2 'in simplicitv and go<IIy sincerity ' (ItV [reading with edd. kyiitTTiTi for otTklniTi of TRJ 'in holiness'); 11^ 'the simplicity that is in Christ.' Cf. Elyot, Govcrnour, i. 220, 'Trewely lu every covenaunt, bargayno, or promise, ought to be a siniplicitie, that is to saye, one playne underntandinge or meaning bctwene the parties' ; and Ac '2*^ Rheni. 'Tliey tuoke their meate with Joy and siniplicitie of hart.' It is to he obsen-eti that 'sini])li- ciiy' in its modem sense does not occur in AV or UV : to take 2 Oo 11^ la the mod. sense is wholly to misunderstand the passage. J. HASTINGS.
SIMPLICITT (iTXAnjt, ' singleness,' LXX tr. of cb as also of i^') is the characteristic attribute of the man who is whole-hearted and single-hearted. The word drXoSs is applied by Plato to God, ivho is
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' perfectly simple and true both in word and deed ' (Rep. ii. 382 E). It is used to describe the man wlio plays only one part and does one thing, in con- trast to liini whose energies are not concentrated but divided over a variety of pursuits {I{ep. iii. o'.)7 IC). Simplicity is a mark of the just man who wishes to be and not to seem good {lii-p. ii. 3(il B), while the man of an op]X)site type who lacks the true virtue of a ' unanimous and harmonious sold ' is finrXoOs, for he is at war with himself, and is virtu- ally two men, not one {lirp. viii. o.j-l D). Its close relationship to aKaxla (guilelessness) is indicated by the fact that in many passages where the LXX has d7rX(5T?)s, Aq. has dKotcia as tr. of tlie same word (I's 7''' 2()i-ii 411^ "S"'-) ; its relationship to ei/9uT7)s (rectitude), by the fact that in J>XX ^V" is tr. by both words (1 K !H, 1 Ch 21)'"). Simplicity describes the moral and mental altitude of the man who is absolutely at one with himself in motive, aim, and eml, whether in relation to God or Ins felloW-men. This unity and concentration of the inner nature pives fulness of spiritual perception, as our Lord shows by a comparison taken from another sphere of vision. ' If, therefore, thine eye be single (dirXoCj), thy whole body shall be full of light' (Mt ()--, Lk \\^). Such a man is incapable of in- sincerity, or artifice, or malice, or finesse. Hence he is opposed to the two-souled man, who is driven now (Joilwards, now earthwards (Si^^uxos, Ja 1*), to the double-hearted (Ps 12-) and the double-tongtted (5.\47os, 1 Ti .S8; SlyXwairo^, Pr lli». Sir b'')^ In Ills walk he does not try to go upon two ways (Sir 2'-), but goes straight to the goal, with his face set thitherward, neither halting, nor lingering, nor diverging. In his obedience to Christ there is no reservation, no element of calculation, only un- conditional loyalty (2 Co 11^). In his devotion to (iod there is no bargaining as to the minimum of disobedience which He may permit (2 K oi*), in his work for men is no taint of eye-service (Col 3-^, Ki)h ti»). In his giving there is no admixture of any base element (Ro 12*). For he gives as God gives, without any afterthought (Ja 1''), for no end .save the good of the receiver. The simple one is guile- less, and as such, though not free from prejudice, he is open to conviction (Jn 1*'). Himself incapa- ble of being swayed by ignoble motives, he attrib- utes a similar incapability to others, and thus may be easily deceived ; in this way simplicity may so degenerate that it becomes not merely opposed to craftiness, but to prudence (2 S lo'i).