Proverbs 13:20

20 If thou walkest with wise men thou shalt be wise: but he that walks with fools shall be known.

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 Instruction removes poverty and disgrace: but he that attends to reproofs shall be honoured.

19 The desires of the godly gladden the soul, but the works of the ungodly are far from knowledge.

20 If thou walkest with wise men thou shalt be wise: but he that walks with fools shall be known.

21 Evil shall pursue sinners; but good shall overtake the righteous.

22 A good man shall inherit children's children; and the wealth of ungodly men is laid up for the just.