Proverbs 13:20

20 He that walketh with wise [men] shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

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.


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 [shall be to] him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honored.
19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but [it is] abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20 He that walketh with wise [men] shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
21 Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repaid.
22 A good [man] leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner [is] laid up for the just.
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