What does "wearies the fool" suggest about the nature of foolish labor? Verse under focus “The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.” Key phrase—“wearies the fool” • “Toil” (Hebrew ʿāmāl) speaks of strenuous, back-breaking effort. • “Weary” (Hebrew yǝʿannēh) means to exhaust, drain, or wear down. • Together they picture a person so busy laboring that he ends up spent—but still empty-handed. What foolish labor looks like • Directionless activity – The fool “does not know the way to the city.” In Solomon’s day, a city offered safety, commerce, worship, and community. Not knowing how to get there shows basic ignorance of life’s most obvious routes. • Repetitive exhaustion – Proverbs 26:11 “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.” He keeps cycling through the same draining patterns without learning. • Self-inflicted burden – Proverbs 13:15 “The way of the treacherous is hard.” Foolish choices create unnecessary hardship; the weariness is largely avoidable. • Lack of fruitful outcome – Proverbs 12:11 contrasts with the fool: “He who works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.” The fool’s labor consumes energy yet yields no harvest. Why foolish labor exhausts • No clear purpose – Without a goal anchored in God’s wisdom, effort disperses into countless dead-ends (James 1:6-8). • No reliable guidance – Rejecting instruction (Proverbs 15:5) leaves the fool without maps, mentors, or milestones. • No empowering relationship with the Lord – Psalm 127:1 “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Divine partnership turns toil into fruitful work; folly labors alone. • No humility to adjust course – Ecclesiastes 4:13 “Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning.” Weariness accrues when pride blocks correction. Contrast with wise labor • Purposeful—Colossians 3:23: work “for the Lord.” • Productive—Proverbs 14:23: “All hard work brings a profit.” • Peaceful—Matthew 11:29: Christ’s yoke brings “rest for your souls.” • Persevering without burnout—Isaiah 40:31: those who wait on the Lord “will run and not grow weary.” Take-home reflections • Examine not just how hard you work, but whether you’re following “the way to the city”—God’s clear path and priorities. • Seek wisdom daily (Proverbs 2:6) so labor aligns with truth, not folly. • Invite the Lord into every task; His guidance turns exhausting toil into meaningful, restful productivity (Matthew 11:28-30). |
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