In proverbs 14/MSG we read:
6 Cynics look high and low for wisdom—and never find it;
the open-minded find it right on their doorstep!
7 Escape quickly from the company of fools;
they’re a waste of your time, a waste of your words.
8 The wisdom of the wise keeps life on track;
the foolishness of fools lands them in the ditch.
9 The stupid ridicule right and wrong,
but a moral life is a favored life.
10 The person who shuns the bitter moments of friends
will be an outsider at their celebrations.
The wise discerns what is good and bad. The cynic can't find wisdom despite it is obvious (v6). The one who constantly doubts is seen as wise guy in our world, but we are in company of fools if we doubt more than we should (v7). The cynic ridicules right and wrong with arrogance (v9). The cynic shuns the bitter moments of others so he will be an outsider in good times (v10).
12-13 There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough;
look again—it leads straight to hell.
Sure, those people appear to be having a good time,
but all that laughter will end in heartbreak.
The one who doesn't fear the Lord believes that he can do whatever he wants with no consequences.
15 The gullible believe anything they’re told;
the prudent sift and weigh every word.
16 The wise watch their steps and avoid evil;
fools are headstrong and reckless.
The fool doesn't discern what is rigt and wrong, what is true and false - so he listens and believe in contradictions. The wise man listens and meditates on every word. This makes the wise understands and avoids evil. The fools think that they know what they are doing, they are headstrong and reckless.
18 Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion;
wise realists plant their feet on the ground.
19 Eventually, evil will pay tribute to good;
the wicked will respect God-loyal people.
Foolish dreamers live in another world disconnected with our reality. They will make a lot of bad decisions and at some moment, they will that the results got by the wise were much better.
20 An unlucky loser is shunned by all,
but everyone loves a winner.
21 It’s criminal to ignore a neighbor in need,
but compassion for the poor—what a blessing!
In practicce no one wants to get near an unlucky loser, but the Lord is generous and wants his people to be generous specially with those in need.
24 The wise accumulate wisdom;
fools get stupider by the day.
Wise men learn one thing that will help learn another thing. They accumulate widom to take better decisions. Fools can't learn with their own errors.
26 The Fear-of-God builds up confidence,
and makes a world safe for your children.
27 The Fear-of-God is a spring of living water
so you won’t go off drinking from poisoned wells.
The one who fears the Lord finds a spring of living water. They have discernment to avoid drinking from poisoned wells. They are like a fortress that protect their family.
30 A sound mind makes for a robust body,
but runaway emotions corrode the bones.
31 You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless;
when you’re kind to the poor, you honor God.
32 The evil of bad people leaves them out in the cold;
the integrity of good people creates a safe place for living.
The wise (with a sound mind) is blessed by his Maker with a robust body. He is generous (He loves other people). His integrity brings prosperity - a safe place of living. In a way he is pro Shalom. However the fool (with his runaway emotions) goes against Shalom.
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