Summary
This chapter delivers hard-hitting wisdom about three forces that shape your destiny: what you say, how you work, and who you surround yourself with. Solomon opens with a stark truth - wise people listen to feedback, while those who mock advice destroy themselves. Your words aren't just noise; they create your reality. Speak well, and good things flow back to you. Run your mouth carelessly, and you invite disaster. The chapter hammers home that there's no substitute for consistent work. Lazy people dream big but accomplish nothing, while diligent workers build real wealth. Solomon warns against get-rich-quick schemes - wealth gained through shortcuts disappears, but money earned through honest labor grows. One of the most powerful insights comes near the end: 'He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.' Your friends aren't just social connections; they're programming your future. Surround yourself with people who challenge you to grow, and you'll rise. Hang with people who make excuses and drag others down, and you'll sink with them. The chapter also tackles delayed gratification - 'Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.' Sometimes the wait for what you want feels crushing, but achieving meaningful goals brings deep satisfaction. Solomon ends with controversial advice about discipline, suggesting that real love sometimes requires tough corrections. Throughout, he contrasts two paths: one leads to honor, wealth, and satisfaction; the other to poverty, shame, and destruction. This isn't about moral superiority - it's about practical cause and effect in how life actually works.
Coming Up in Chapter 14
The next chapter shifts focus to the power of women in building or destroying households, revealing how wisdom and foolishness play out differently in domestic life and family dynamics.
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An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 425 words)
A20:013:001 wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke. 20:013:002 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. 20:013:003 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. 20:013:004 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. 20:013:005 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame. 20:013:006 Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner. 20:013:007 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. 20:013:008 The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke. 20:013:009 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. 20:013:010 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. 20:013:011 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. 20:013:012 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. 20:013:013 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. 20:013:014 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. 20:013:015 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard. 20:013:016 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly. 20:013:017 A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health. 20:013:018 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured. 20:013:019 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil. 20:013:020 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. 20:013:021 Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed. 20:013:022 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. 20:013:023 Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment. 20:013:024 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. 20:013:025 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Three Multipliers
Your words, work habits, and social circle create compound effects that exponentially determine your life trajectory.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to recognize when small, consistent choices in speech, work, and relationships create exponential long-term outcomes.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone's daily habits (how they talk about work, their punctuality, who they eat lunch with) predict their career trajectory six months later.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Scorner
Someone who mocks advice and refuses to learn from others. In Hebrew wisdom literature, this represents the opposite of wisdom - a person who thinks they already know everything. The scorner destroys relationships and opportunities through arrogance.
Modern Usage:
We see this in people who reject feedback at work, mock self-improvement, or refuse to admit mistakes.
Sluggard
Not just lazy, but someone who makes excuses and avoids responsibility while expecting rewards. In Proverbs, the sluggard represents wasted potential - someone who dreams big but won't do the work. It's about attitude, not ability.
Modern Usage:
Today's sluggard scrolls social media instead of learning skills, complains about their situation but won't take action to change it.
Vanity wealth
Money gained through shortcuts, schemes, or dishonest means rather than honest work. Solomon warns this kind of wealth disappears quickly because it lacks the foundation of real value creation. It's about how you get money, not how much you have.
Modern Usage:
We see this in get-rich-quick schemes, lottery winners who go broke, or people who chase trends instead of building real skills.
Hope deferred
The emotional pain of waiting for something you deeply want, especially when the timeline keeps stretching. Solomon acknowledges this hurts but promises the eventual achievement brings deep satisfaction. It's about managing expectations during long-term goals.
Modern Usage:
This shows up when saving for a house takes years longer than expected, or when career advancement feels impossibly slow.
Well advised
Someone who seeks counsel from multiple wise sources before making decisions. In ancient Israel, this meant consulting elders and experienced people rather than acting on impulse or pride. Wisdom comes through community, not isolation.
Modern Usage:
Today this means getting input from mentors, researching decisions thoroughly, and learning from others' mistakes before making big choices.
Ransom
In this context, wealth that can buy your way out of trouble or danger. Solomon notes this advantage of having money, but also points out that poor people often avoid certain problems entirely because they're not targets.
Modern Usage:
We see this in how money can buy better legal representation, healthcare, or help you relocate away from dangerous situations.
Characters in This Chapter
The wise son
Student archetype
Represents someone who listens to instruction and learns from others' experience. This character shows how wisdom is transferred across generations through humility and openness to feedback.
Modern Equivalent:
The employee who actually implements feedback and grows in their career
The scorner
Antagonist to wisdom
Refuses to hear rebuke or correction, representing pride that leads to destruction. This character shows how closed-mindedness creates a cycle of repeated mistakes and missed opportunities.
Modern Equivalent:
The person who argues with every suggestion and wonders why they're stuck in the same problems
The sluggard
Cautionary example
Desires good things but won't work for them, representing wasted potential and self-sabotage. This character illustrates how wanting something isn't enough without consistent action.
Modern Equivalent:
The coworker who complains about their situation but won't apply for better jobs or learn new skills
The diligent person
Success model
Consistently works toward goals and builds real wealth through sustained effort. This character demonstrates how small, consistent actions compound into significant results over time.
Modern Equivalent:
The person who slowly builds their emergency fund and skills while others chase shortcuts
The righteous man
Moral exemplar
Hates lying and maintains integrity, showing how character creates stability and trust. This person's honesty becomes a foundation for lasting relationships and opportunities.
Modern Equivalent:
The manager everyone trusts because they always tell the truth, even when it's uncomfortable
Key Quotes & Analysis
"A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke"
Context: Opening the chapter with the fundamental difference between those who grow and those who stagnate
This sets up the entire chapter's theme about teachability versus pride. Solomon shows that wisdom isn't about intelligence - it's about being open to learning from others. The contrast is stark: one path leads to growth, the other to destruction.
In Today's Words:
Smart people listen to feedback; stubborn people ignore good advice and wonder why nothing changes.
"The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat"
Context: Contrasting the outcomes of lazy dreaming versus consistent work
This reveals the cruel irony of laziness - wanting things intensely but being unwilling to work for them. Solomon shows that desire without action creates frustration, while steady effort creates abundance.
In Today's Words:
Lazy people want everything but won't work for anything; hardworking people actually get what they're after.
"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed"
Context: Near the end of the chapter, emphasizing how your social circle shapes your destiny
This is one of the most practical pieces of life advice in the entire Bible. Solomon reveals that wisdom and foolishness are contagious - you become like the people you spend time with. Your friends aren't just entertainment; they're programming your future.
In Today's Words:
Hang around smart people and you'll get smarter; hang around losers and you'll become one too.
"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life"
Context: Acknowledging the emotional cost of delayed gratification while promising it's worth the wait
Solomon shows deep understanding of human psychology here. He doesn't minimize the pain of waiting for what you want, but he promises that achieving meaningful goals brings lasting satisfaction. This validates the struggle while encouraging persistence.
In Today's Words:
Waiting for what you really want can break your heart, but finally getting it makes everything worth it.
Thematic Threads
Personal Agency
In This Chapter
Solomon emphasizes that individuals control their destiny through daily choices in speech, work, and relationships
Development
Building on earlier chapters about wisdom and folly, now focusing on specific behavioral levers
In Your Life:
You might notice how your daily habits either move you toward or away from your goals
Social Influence
In This Chapter
The warning that companions of fools will be destroyed while those who walk with wise people become wise
Development
Expanding the theme of choosing wise counsel into the realm of peer influence
In Your Life:
You might recognize how certain friends either inspire you to grow or enable your worst habits
Work Ethic
In This Chapter
Contrasting the diligent who build wealth with the lazy who remain poor despite their desires
Development
Introduced here as a major theme about the relationship between effort and outcomes
In Your Life:
You might see this in how consistent small efforts compound while sporadic big efforts fade
Communication Power
In This Chapter
Words as forces that either bring good or invite destruction into your life
Development
Deepening earlier themes about wise speech by showing its practical consequences
In Your Life:
You might notice how complaining versus problem-solving language affects how others respond to you
Delayed Gratification
In This Chapter
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but fulfilled desires are like trees of life
Development
Introduced here as the emotional cost and reward of pursuing long-term goals
In Your Life:
You might recognize the frustration of working toward goals that seem to take forever to achieve
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Solomon says your words, work habits, and friend group determine your future. Which of these three forces do you think has the biggest impact on someone's life outcomes?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does Solomon connect lazy work habits with poverty, but also warn against get-rich-quick schemes? What's the difference between working hard and working smart?
analysis • medium - 3
Think about your current workplace or social circle. Where do you see the pattern 'He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed' playing out?
application • medium - 4
If you wanted to change your life trajectory using Solomon's three-force system (words, work, relationships), which would you tackle first and why?
application • deep - 5
Solomon suggests that hope deferred makes the heart sick, but achieving meaningful goals brings deep satisfaction. What does this reveal about why some people give up on their dreams while others persist?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Audit Your Three Forces
Make three columns: Words, Work, and Circle. Under Words, list the phrases you use most often when talking about your life or future. Under Work, honestly assess your daily habits and effort level. Under Circle, name the five people you spend the most time with and note whether they inspire growth or enable excuses. Look for patterns across all three columns.
Consider:
- •Be brutally honest - this exercise only works if you face reality
- •Notice how the three forces might be reinforcing each other positively or negatively
- •Identify which force would be easiest to change first as a starting point
Journaling Prompt
Write about one specific change you could make in each category that would create a positive ripple effect in your life. Start with the smallest, most doable change and explain how it might influence the other two forces.
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 14: Building Wisely vs. Tearing Down
Moving forward, we'll examine to recognize the difference between building up and tearing down in relationships and work, and understand checking your emotions before acting saves you from costly mistakes. These insights bridge the gap between classic literature and modern experience.