Introduction
Before getting into the meaning of Proverbs 14:7, here’s different Bible translations:
King James Version
Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
American Standard Version
Go into the presence of a foolish man, And thou shalt not perceive [in him] the lips of knowledge.
World English Bible version
Stay away from a foolish man, for you won't find knowledge on his lips.
Proverbs 14:7 Meaning & Commentary
Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge. – Proverbs 14:7 (ESV)
Whom we hang around with is of vital importance. Through The Bible, we see the principle of “association.” We see this principle mentioned here in Proverbs 14:7. This verse says to “leave the presence of a fool” because we will “not meet words of knowledge.” If we were to paraphrase this, we could say something like this: A foolish person has nothing to offer you and is of little to no benefit in your life; rather, distance yourself from them.
The Bible talks about the benefits of associating with the right people and the perils (or dangers) of associating with the wrong people. We know that surrounding ourselves with the right people can challenge, motivate, and inspire us to improve:
Proverbs 27:17 – Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. In the same way that good “influence” happens when the right people surround us, so too bad “influence” can happen just as easily, and when it does – it can damage our lives: 1 Corinthians 15:33 – Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” So, not only do we not receive much from fools, but we can ruin our character.
This is why The Bible tells us to leave the presence of a fool. Some people may think, “Can I not try and help a fool to change”? The reality is that a fool is indicative of someone who thinks they know it all and does not need to change! You cannot force change onto someone – no matter how hard you try, let alone onto a fool. This is why the best course of action when engaging a fool is to leave their presence – because they will add nothing to you and instead drain your life and potentially ruin your godly character!
Application
How can we practically apply Proverbs 14:7 to our lives?
The most glaring application is to refrain from engaging with follish people, as there is little to no benefit to us. How do we recognize a fool, however? The Bible describes a fool in the book of Proverbs in numerous places, giving us some telltale signs to look for. One of the biggest things to look out for is someone who thinks they know everything – a “know it all” type of person: Proverbs 12:15 – The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
Another sign we see in The Bible about a fool is that they are always talking – and have a hard time listening to others, but seem intent on just expressing their opinion: Proverbs 18:2 – A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
Yet another sign of a fool is someone who always wants to express their opinion, defend themselves, or jump to state their case immediately: Proverbs 12:16 – The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult. We need to take the time to know and understand God’s Word so that when we are in the presence of a fool, we know how to act.
According to Proverbs 14:7, we should leave the presence of that person. Yet, if we cannot do that – we need to watch our words and what we speak or say in the presence of a fool: Proverbs 23:9 – Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.
We know that in the presence of a fool, we do not meet “words of knowledge,” so we should instead seek those who can impart to us and build us up. When we feel challenged or inspired around someone to become a better person, this is a good sign, and we should seek to develop relationships with such people as the words they speak will be timely and will build us up:
Proverbs 25:11 – A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
Prayer
Mighty God, I thank You for the wisdom your Word imparts me. Please help me to discern and recognize when I am in the presence of a fool, and I ask for the wisdom to navigate those situations effectively.
I ask that you bring wise people into my life who will challenge and inspire me to improve. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen!
