18 He who separates himself seeks his own desire,
He [a]quarrels against all sound wisdom.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his own [b]mind.
3 When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes,
And with dishonor comes scorn.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
[c]The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
5 To show partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool’s lips [d]bring strife,
And his mouth calls for blows.
7 A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the [e]innermost parts of the body.
9 He also who is slack in his work
Is brother to him who destroys.
This chapter starts out with another verse that is a little obtuse. Certainly, we can get that someone who is seeking their own selfish gain could quarrel with those trying to give them advice. The CEB translation puts it this way, “Unfriendly people look out for themselves; they bicker with sensible people.” Throughout this passage, this is the theme, are we looking out for #1, or do we consider God’s way and how we can help others?
It is quite natural to seek our own desires, and so we find multiple things to help keep us on track here. Do we “delight in understanding”? That is, are we interested in what someone else thinks? The fool has contempt for the words of others, scorning their opinions.
In contrast, the words of the wise are like a fountain or bubbling brook, healthy, wholesome, and satisfying. As the passage ends, there are two more warnings, do we crave whispered gossip, or slack off in our work? Why do we work? To serve God and to serve others, but a slack attitude can creep in and rob us of that joy. We can easily become weary in what we are doing, but don’t let that keep you from finishing the job and finishing it well.
Let God guide your words, set your heart and mind on Him, “on things above”, as Paul wrote. Then you can be that fountain of wisdom, a refreshing stream to those around you–not so that you can be all-important, but to serve and fulfill the needs around you, to find joy in the path that God has laid before your feet.