Today, I am reading and commenting on  Proverbs 14-17.

When I started reading the Book of Proverbs this year I became convinced that the link between foolishness and moral depravity which is implied by the Hebrew words used for “fool” and for “the simple minded” provided a key understanding of this book.  The wise build up, the foolish tear down.  Many of the ideas expressed in the proverbs in today’s passage relate to that idea.  Fools use their words to lash out at those whom they perceive as being in their way, while the wise choose their words in order to build others up.  Throughout today’s passage the writer contrasts the ways in which wise and righteous people speak to the ways in which foolish and wicked people use words.  I want to point out that to the writer saying wise and righteous is redundant, as is saying foolish and evil.  Being evil is foolish and wisdom teaches us to do what is right.  There is another word which the writer uses that our society views differently from the writer.  That word is “mocker”.  The writer considers a mocker to be a wicked person and a type of fool.  Whereas our society often admires those who mock others.  Mockers hold people up for scorn, while the wise seek to teach those who have made foolish decisions.  Wisdom teaches us to choose our words with care and to be silent when unsure of what to say.  The temptation to speak when we should remain silent sometimes leads us to say things which make matters worse.   There is one other important, and related, point which the writer brings up in today’s passage.  The wise seek to avoid quarrels and settle quarrels which come up between others.  Fools like to stir up quarrels between others and sometimes find amusement in angering others.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.