What is the meaning of Proverbs 14:16? A wise man • “A wise man” (Proverbs 14:16a) describes someone who loves and lives by God’s truth. Wisdom in Proverbs always begins with “the fear of the LORD” (Proverbs 9:10). • Instead of trusting his own instincts, the wise person lets Scripture light his path (Psalm 119:105) and accepts correction (Proverbs 9:8-9; 13:1). • He weighs decisions prayerfully, remembering that “He who walks with the wise grows wise” (Proverbs 13:20). Fears • “Fears” does not mean cowering terror but reverent awareness of God’s holiness and justice. “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:27). • This reverence keeps the heart humble: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil” (Proverbs 3:7). • It produces safety, not anxiety: “He who fears the commandment will be rewarded” (Proverbs 13:13). And turns from evil • Wisdom is active. “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself” (Proverbs 22:3). • Turning means changing direction—repentance. Paul echoes this: “Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness” (2 Timothy 2:22). • Daily choices reflect this posture: “By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil” (Proverbs 16:6). But a fool • Scripture paints the fool as one who rejects God’s counsel: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes” (Proverbs 12:15). • He shrugs off correction (Proverbs 15:5) and mocks sin (Proverbs 14:9). • The contrast is moral, not intellectual; the issue is rebellion versus submission. Is careless and reckless • “Careless” pictures a false sense of security; “reckless” shows headlong plunge. “Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool displays folly” (Proverbs 13:16). • Driven by impulse, the fool “trusts in himself” (Proverbs 28:26) and “hastens with his feet and misses the way” (Proverbs 19:2). • Consequences follow: “A fool’s mouth invites ruin” (Proverbs 18:6). summary Proverbs 14:16 draws a sharp line: wisdom reveres God, anticipates danger, and deliberately avoids sin; folly scoffs, rushes ahead, and suffers harm. Walking in holy fear keeps the heart guarded and the path clear, while careless recklessness exposes the fool to needless ruin. |
    |