People lacking inner substance often make a great deal of noise to draw attention to themselves and create an illusion of importance. A vivid image from daily life illustrates this human tendency, comparing the empty laughter of a fool to the sound of burning thorns. A poetic play on words exists in the original language between the branches of thorns and the copper cooking pot placed above them [מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא]. The imagery focuses on the noise created when a fire is lit. Quality logs of wood burn quietly and steadily. In contrast, when thorns are placed under a pot, they jump in the fire and produce a loud crackling sound.
The thorns make noise precisely because they are inferior and lack value. They fail to produce the sustained energy and heat needed for cooking, and they burn out rapidly without leaving any substantial coals behind. The loud popping is almost an attempt to announce that they too are important pieces of wood. While fruit trees do not need to make a sound because their fruit stands as quiet proof of their worth, barren trees and thorns rely on noise simply to be noticed [תורה תמימה, תעלומות חכמה, צאינה וראינה].
In the exact same way, the laughter, singing, or constant chatter of a fool is nothing but meaningless noise. A wicked person or one lacking spiritual greatness often talks excessively, argues with the wise, or boasts about personal wealth just to appear as though they belong among people of true substance [רש"י, תורה תמימה, צאינה וראינה]. This kind of laughter is characterized by a brief, weak loudness [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. It is chaotic and lacks harmony, driven entirely by a lack of seriousness [מצודת דוד].
Ultimately, all of this is empty and fleeting. The loud boasting of fools and the wealth of the wicked vanish quickly without bringing any real benefit, even if their songs provide a brief moment of joy [מצודת דוד, תעלומות חכמה]. Some explain that dealing with this emptiness is simply part of the toil God gave humanity to confront in life [רש"י]. Another perspective suggests a deeper warning, noting that even the preference for wisdom over foolishness can sometimes end in emptiness, as a wise person can easily lose their hard earned standing [ביאור שטיינזלץ].