Proverbs 14:7

7 Leave {the presence of a foolish man}, [for] you will not [come to] know {words of knowledge}.

Proverbs 14:7 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 14:7

Go from the presence of a foolish man
A wicked one; avoid him, shun his company, depart from him, have no fellowship with him, it, being dangerous, infectious, and hurtful; when thou perceivest not [in him] the lips of knowledge;
when it is observed that his lips pour out foolishness, what is corrupt and unsavoury, unchaste and filthy; what does not minister grace to the hearers, nor is for the use of edifying, nor any ways improving in useful knowledge, but all the reverse: the Targum is,

``for there is no knowledge in his lips,''

in what is expressed by them; some understand this ironically, and render the words thus, "go right against a foolish man" ^F6; join in company with him, "and thou shalt not know the lips of knowledge", or learn anything by him; if you have a mind to be ignorant, keep company with a foolish man; so Jarchi and Gersom: or rather to this sense the words may be rendered, "go to a foolish man, seeing thou knowest not the lips of knowledge" ^F7, since thou dost not approve of wise and knowing men, whose lips would teach knowledge; and despisest the Gospel, and Gospel ministers the pope of Rome, as Cocceius on the text serves, and hear him, what his holiness and infallibility says; or some other false teacher.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (lyok vyal dgnm kl) "e regione viri stulti", De Dieu; so Gussetius, p. 495. and Schultens
F7 "Abi ut stes cora in viro stolido", Cocceius.

Proverbs 14:7 In-Context

5 A faithful witness does not lie, but he who breathes out falsehood is a witness of deceit.

6 A scoffer seeks wisdom, but there is none, but knowledge {comes easily to him who understands}.

7 Leave {the presence of a foolish man}, [for] you will not [come to] know {words of knowledge}.

8 The wisdom of the clever is understanding his ways, but the folly of fools is deceit.

9 Fools mock [the] guilt offering, but among the upright, it is favorable.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "from the presence [belonging] to a man of foolishness"
• [b] Literally "lips of knowledge"