Proverbs 13:20

20 He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer.

Proverbs 13:20 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 13:20

He that walketh with wise [men] shall be wise
Who is a companion of them that fear the Lord; converses frequently with them in private about spiritual and experimental things, and walks with them in public in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord; he by those means grows wiser and wiser, gains a large stock of spiritual knowledge and experience; for this holds good both in natural and spiritual wisdom, a man of any capacity at all will improve by keeping wise company; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed;
the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "shall become like them"; be a fool as they are, and grow still more and more foolish. The Septuagint version is, "shall be known"; known by the company he keeps to be a fool also: or rather, "shall be broken" ^F20; ruined and destroyed, "evil communications corrupt good manners", ( 1 Corinthians 15:33 ) , and so bring to ruin and destruction.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 (ewry) "conteretur", Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator, Mercerus, Gejerus; "conquassabitur", Cocceius; "fragetur", Michaelis; "infringetur", Schultens, so Ben Melech.

Proverbs 13:20 In-Context

18 Poverty and shame are for him who won't be taught, but he who heeds reproof will be honored.

19 Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but turning away from evil is abhorrent to fools.

20 He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer.

21 Evil pursues sinners, but prosperity will reward the righteous.

22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren, but the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.