The Wise Pass On Their Wisdom Persuasively But Fools Have Nothing To Pass On But Their Folly (Proverbs 16:22-25).
In this subsection the reference in Proverbs 16:21 to the idea of possessing and sweetly passing on wisdom to others is now taken up and amplified. To its possessor understanding is a wellspring of life, both to himself and to others, whilst the only disciplinary instruction of fools is their folly. The wise allow their hearts to instruct their mouths, so that what they say is persuasive, and consequently their pleasant words are sweet to men's taste, and thus to men's inner man (their inner life and bones). In contrast the way of the fool might appear right to men, but its end are the ways of death.
The subsection is presented chiastically:
A Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it, but the correction of fools is their folly (Proverbs 16:22).
B The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning (or ‘persuasiveness') to his lips (Proverbs 16:23).
B Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones (Proverbs 16:24).
A There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end of it are the ways of death (Proverbs 16:25).
Note that in A true understanding is a wellspring of life to its possessor, whilst in the parallel what seems right to men has as its end the ways of death. In B the lips of the wise are persuasive, whilst in the parallel pleasant words are sweet to the taste.
‘Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it,
But the correction of fools is their folly.'
The word translated ‘understanding' is not the usual word, but indicates understanding, knowledge, wisdom. It is basically understanding about God and the things of God. And to those who have this understanding it is like a ‘wellspring of life', a plentiful source of thirst-quenching and life-giving water which gives live to those who enjoy it. Furthermore it is a wellspring of life to all to whom they impart their understanding.
In Proverbs 10:11 it was ‘the mouth of the righteous' which was a wellspring of life; in Proverbs 13:14 it was ‘the law of the wise' which was a wellspring of life; and in Proverbs 14:27 it was ‘the fear of YHWH' which was a wellspring of life; here it is true understanding which is the wellspring of life to the one who possesses it. The idea behind a wellspring was of an abundant water source which satisfied the thirst continually and was a continual source of life for vegetation. Thus wisdom and understanding in the things of God, which were based on the fear of YHWH, will satisfy men's spiritual thirst and give them life. And as Jesus Christ made clear, He is the wellspring supreme. ‘He who drinks of this water (from the wellspring of Jacob) will thirst again, but he who drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst, for the water that I shall give him will be in him a wellspring of water, springing up to eternal life' (John 4:13-14).
In stark contrast is the fool. In order to parallel it we could paraphrase the second clause as ‘folly is the disciplinary instruction of fools'. For the wise, understanding. For the fool, folly. The fool's way may seem right to a man, but the end of it is the ways of death (Proverbs 16:25).
‘The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
And adds learning (or ‘persuasiveness') to his lips.'
The one who has understanding, the truly wise, will also speak truly. His heart will instruct his mouth so that what he says is acceptable, instructive and persuasive. He will woo people by his wisdom. Indeed, the assumption in Proverbs is that the wise will seek to pass on their wisdom, so that others too might enjoy the wellspring of life (Proverbs 10:11; Proverbs 10:21; Proverbs 10:31; Proverbs 13:17; Proverbs 13:20; Proverbs 15:2; Proverbs 15:4; Proverbs 15:7). And the assumption is that when he does so his heart (will, mind and emotions) will instruct his mouth, enabling him to speak with clarity. It will add persuasiveness to his lips. It will give him teaching as to what to say, both with regard to his own ways and with regard to the knowledge of God.
‘Pleasant words are as a honeycomb,
Sweet to the inner life, and health to the bones.'
Indeed, the wise remembers that pleasant words are like a honeycomb. They are the source of sweetness, healing and life. They are pure (Proverbs 15:26). Honey was thought of as life-reviving (1 Samuel 14:27) and as having healing properties. So what they impart gives sweetness to a man's inner life (his nephesh), and health to the whole man (his bones). In Israel the whole man was thought of in terms of ‘breath' (nephesh) and bones (compare Ezekiel 37:4-7).
So wisdom is not to be presented as some harsh requirement on behalf of God, but with pleasantness and sweetness so that it will attract the hearer. Men are to be wooed into truth, not battered into it. Although they are warned of what the consequences will be of refusing it (Proverbs 1:24-31; Proverbs 6:15).
‘There is a way which seems right to a man,
But the end of it are the ways of death.'
We have here a repetition of the proverb in Proverbs 14:12. The proverb is repeated here so as to act as a suitable end to the subsection. True understanding is a wellspring of life, but men's ideas about their own way (which are not true understanding) end in the ways of death. Note the plural. There is only one way to life, through true understanding, but there are many ways to death. This is why men need to be wooed with persuasive and pleasant words.