NOTES for Pro 14:1-35

Wise actions are contrasted with foolish ones. But what if a fool imagines himself wise and is certain of his own infallibility? Yes, his undertakings will certainly collapse, but until they do, he will assure himself and others that everything is proceeding as it should. (And when all his efforts prove fruitless, he will begin to blame those around him for not warning him about the consequences.) Therefore we must remember, already while choosing them, that some ways which seem right may lead to death. And when making a choice, we should remember that we have already been warned of the consequences.

Here too we have an example of how unreasonable it can be to tear a proverb out of context and consider it without relating it to other proverbs, or indeed to other passages of the Bible. If one wished, the words about a poor man hated by his friends and a rich man who has many friends could be taken as preaching the normal order of relations in human society. But immediately afterward we read words about the sinfulness of despising one’s neighbor and the need for mercy toward the poor. Words that state a reality do not necessarily approve it. Even if evil is present in the world and its reality has to be reckoned with, it still should not be treated as the norm.