Bible Commentaries

CHAPTER 14 The Wise and The Foolish: The Rich and The Poor

The contrast now concerns the wise and the foolish, the rich and the poor. Let us see some of these contrasts. “In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride, but the lips of the wise shall preserve them” Proverbs 14:3. The foolish shoots forth his foolishness like a branch. Separation from the foolish man is commanded in the seventh verse. The wise cannot have fellowship with the foolish, as the believer is not to be yoked to the unbeliever. Fools make a mock at sin Proverbs 14:9). The word “sin” in the original means “trespass offering.” That is exactly what the foolish man does, including the religious fool; he denies both sin and the blessed provision God has made to deliver from the guilt and power of sin. But among the righteous, says the next line, there is favor (acceptance). Because the righteous owns himself a sinner, judgeth himself and accepts God’s redemption through the one sacrifice.

How true it is “the heart knoweth his own bitterness, and a stranger does not intermeddle with its joy” Proverbs 14:10. We can tell our troubles and sorrows to others, but the bitterness of the heart cannot be revealed, but it is known to One who is touched with our sorrows and the bitterness of life through which we pass, for He Himself passed through it also.

Here is another deep saying, which shows that behind this wisdom uttered by the wise king, there is another who knows all what is going on in human life and in the heart. “Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness” Proverbs 10:13. How often the sorrowful, the downcast covers all with forced laughter and no one suspects that underneath the mirth there is heaviness. This is true of children of the world, the foolish who reject true wisdom and know not the Lord Jesus Christ.

Of the poor and the rich we read that the poor is hated; the rich has many friends Proverbs 14:20). He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoreth Him hath mercy on the poor” Proverbs 14:31). To deal kindly with the poor and the lowly is God-like. The righteous will manifest his righteousness in a practical way by considering the poor.

Precious are two other proverbs in this chapter.

In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence;

And His children shall have a place of refuge.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,

To depart from the snares of death. Proverbs 14:26-35)