Proverbs 19:2-3 follows the opening verse that introduces the subject of this series.
Proverbs 19:1 says:
“Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.”
(A similar proverb is found in Proverbs 28:6.)
Here wisdom advises that it is better to be an innocent poor man, than a fool who attempts to gain wealth by talking “perverse” (Hebrew means “twisted”) or twisting words to get out of poverty.
Which is worse on society:
A) A poor man with integrity? Or,
B) A man with money who twists and perverts words to make money?
Also, ask what is worse for the individual man. To be honest and poor or to be wealthy and wicked?
In Proverbs 19:2-3 Wisdom says that the man who fails to realize that immoral behavior will destroy his life is a man who has desires, but a man without knowledge.
“Desire without knowledge is not good.” – Proverbs 19:2
His own folly will lead him to ruin, yet in the end he will still not understand why he missed the way and was destroyed? In his ignorance he blames God, even though it was his own rush into trying to gain money without understanding the moral implications.
The man of verse one had desires for wealth, but did not have the knowledge that wealth gained immorally would bring him to ruin. He missed the way when he rushed into folly without knowledge of the importance of morality and integrity. This folly of acting with no regard for morality ruined his life.
Since this man is a fool without knowledge he does not understand what went wrong, so in the end he blames God. In his ignorance this man acted without understanding then blames God for the ruin of his life when it was merely the result of his own folly. |
