[ 1 minutes to read ]

The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
– Proverbs 10:8

[S]olomon here contrasts characteristics of the wise and foolish. The parallelism also speaks of the results of each. The wise in heart, or mind, are teachable and will receive commandments. Having wisdom in Proverbs never amounts to being a know-it-all but being a learner (Proverbs 1:5; 9:9). It is a distinct mark of wisdom. The prating fool is literally the foolish of lips. It refers to talkativeness in volume of words but also being opinionated where the fool delights more in his own foolishness than the counsel of wisdom (Proverbs 12:23; Ecclesiastes 10:14). Because the fool won’t hear instruction and prefers his own vain thoughts, he will fall or come to ruin (Proverbs 18:6-7).

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