ירמיהו, פרק ד׳, פסוק כ״ב

In response to the prophet’s cry of pain over the approaching destruction, God explains that the root of the disaster lies in the mental and moral distortion of the people. If they possessed true wisdom and recognized that God responds with good or hardship based on their actions, they would never have to face the horrors of war [רד״ק]. Instead, they fail to apply their minds to know God [מצודת דוד].

The people suffer from a profound loss of intellectual direction. They act as fools [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], living in a state of constant doubt without any clear knowledge. Consequently, they lack a firm recognition of God's reality and His judgments [מלבי״ם]. Although they are God's children, they behave with deep foolishness [מצודת ציון]. By rejecting God's word, any worldly intellect they might possess is reduced to sheer ignorance [רד״ק]. Furthermore, they lack basic understanding, completely missing the ability to observe their surroundings and deduce one concept from another [מלבי״ם].

This moral decay creates a sharp contrast regarding the true nature of wisdom. Genuine wisdom is intended to guide a person in choosing between good and evil, and it is inseparably linked to God's teachings that instruct people to do what is right [רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Yet, the people have reversed this purpose. When it comes to doing wrong, they are remarkably clever [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. They apply deep thought and cunning to expand and reinforce their destructive actions [מצודת דוד, חומת אנך]. Conversely, they refuse to direct their attention or cleverness toward doing good [מצודת דוד]. They have not only failed to use their minds to pursue what is right, but they have entirely lost awareness of even the simplest and easiest path of goodness [חומת אנך].