From our Sunday service on April 26, 2026, Proverbs 23:10-25. This is part 2 of our Sayings of the Wise series. Watch the full message: The Sayings of the Wise #2 on YouTube.
We’re in Proverbs chapter 23, starting in verse 10. This is our second message in our series on the sayings of the wise. Last time, we covered the first 10 of the 30 sayings. Today we’re going to cover seven.
What Are the Sayings of the Wise?
If you weren’t here last time, you may be asking, “What are the sayings of the wise? It’s not something I’ve heard about.” So let me review for a moment.
The sayings of the wise is the fourth of seven sections of the book of Proverbs. It starts in Proverbs 22:17. From that point onward for a bit, there’s a selection of 30 sayings which Solomon gathered from various wise people around the world. He collected them together for the people of God so that they could memorize these sayings and make them a part of their lives.
Solomon intends for people to memorize these. You should dedicate a spot in your mind to these sayings so that you can recall them in your moment of need. And as it said in the first lesson, you should bring them up when people around you need them.
I’ll give you a bit of a spoiler: there are a few more than 30. There are the 30 sayings of the wise, and there’s also the “these also belong to the wise” section. So we have a little more than 30. They gave some extra credit work in there as well.
From our time in the Scriptures today, God wants his people to know that he wants them to live wisely in all areas of life.
Saying 11: Do Not Prey on the Fatherless
Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
Proverbs 23:10–11
This one might sound familiar. You might think, “Didn’t we talk about removing the ancient landmark last time?” Yes, we did. But this one is slightly different and has a slightly different context. Saying number 5 simply said not to remove the ancient boundary markers your fathers had set. It didn’t say anything extra. This one adds to it: “and enter not into the fields of the fatherless.” So this one goes a step further.
Who are the fatherless? They are people who have property where their fathers have died. They are orphaned, and they have no legal protections because they have no father. The father was the head of the household. In that society, the father was the one who took care of everything legally. So he says, don’t move the ancient boundary and enter into the fields of the orphan, the fields of those who don’t have protection.
Before, it was “don’t move the ancient landmark because people won’t notice.” Remember, we talked about how people would slowly move the boundary line year after year, because it was set up by their ancient forefathers and nobody knew as a matter of fact where the boundary line started. Here it’s saying, don’t watch your neighbor’s father die, know that the family is vulnerable, and extend your boundary into their territory knowing there’s nothing they can do about it.
So the context is different. One was about doing sins that aren’t noticeable. This one is about doing sins you know you can get away with, even if people notice. In that day, if people were orphaned, it would be hard for them to get a legal defense. There might even be negotiations over who the land properly goes to. So he says, don’t take the opportunity to take advantage of someone when you know you can get away with it.
Their Redeemer Is Mighty
Why? Because while the courts of the law may not protect this orphan, verse 11 says, “For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.” Redeemer there is the same word we use for a kinsman redeemer, the family member who is legally responsible for them. Remember the story of Ruth and Boaz? Boaz wanted to be the kinsman redeemer and redeem Ruth as his wife. That’s the same word being used here.
Why? Because God is still the Father of the orphan child. Even if all earthly family is gone, we still have our heavenly Father. And our heavenly Father isn’t distant from the fatherless. He’s not distant from those who are oppressed. He is near those who are oppressed, and he will act as their kinsman redeemer. He will act as their legal representative. He shall plead their cause, or take up their case, with you.
Do not take advantage of the poor and the vulnerable. Why? Because then you have to fight with God, and that’s not a fight you will win. Those who attack people who have no earthly defense will find that God is the one who forms a case against them. And since God is the Judge of all the earth, the Judge of all the earth will do right. You can be sure you will not get away with it in the long run.
Our application for saying 11: a wise person does not take advantage of those who cannot defend themselves, because he knows that to do so is to bring the wrath of God upon him.
Saying 12: Bring Your Heart to Instruction
Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
Proverbs 23:12
This is a very short one, but very important. The basic concept is to be someone who is always seeking out opportunities to learn more. I always told my colleagues in Bible college, “If you think you came to college to learn, you’re mistaken. Your time here in college is to learn how to learn, and the real learning happens when you leave.” Solomon is saying the same general concept here. Always be in a state of wanting to learn more. Assume that you don’t know everything and that there’s knowledge out there waiting to be discovered.
The word “apply” in this verse means to go, to enter, or to bring something. It says, “Bring your heart to instruction.” Instruction is a word used in the Hebrew to refer to a child being disciplined by their parent. In other words, it’s saying, “Bring your heart to discipline.”
Does that sound enjoyable? No. When I’m at work and I have to be accountable to my boss, the last thing I want to do is bring my heart to be disciplined by my boss. I never liked that. But this is what God calls us to. Bring your heart to be disciplined. Take your heart out of your pride and bring it to someone who can knock you down a few notches and teach you something you don’t know.
In our lives, we like to think, “I can fake it till I make it. I can pretend I have it all together, and as long as nobody finds out, I’m good.” The Bible says to do the opposite. Take your heart away from the safety net and bring it to someone who can discipline you. Bring your life to somebody who can teach you how to grow, how to be better, where you have shortcomings, how you can improve them, and how you can be more well-rounded in every area of your life.
Ears to the Words of Knowledge
That’s the first half. The second half says, “and thine ears to the words of knowledge.” The word knowledge could be understood as sayings of discernment. Discernment is the ability to know what to do in a situation, how to handle something wisely. You need to be seeking out people you can listen to who have demonstrated in their lives that they have discernment in how to deal with issues.
How many of you can say, “I know I have somebody I can go to if I need discernment”? I was really expecting more hands to be raised. If you don’t have somebody you can go to for godly advice, find somebody. There’s going to be a moment in your life when you’re in over your head and you don’t know what to do, and you’re going to need that voice. Solomon is warning us to find somebody who can be our voice of discernment, so that when we need wisdom, we can go and receive it.
The general idea is that we need to seek out people to teach us wisdom against our will, and go to them when we need it in our will.
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:3–6
Proverbs tells us early on that we need to cry out for knowledge and seek out understanding. We need to be people who go to gain wisdom before we need it. It says to seek for it as for silver, or as for hidden treasure. If you found a $100 bill on the ground, you would run after it really quick. You need to be searching for wisdom like you would run after that $100 bill on the ground. When you see an opportunity to gain insight, take it and grow.
We can think of the New Testament parable of the man who found treasure hidden in a field. When he found that there was treasure in that land, he sold everything he had and bought the field so that he had a right to the treasure. That’s the idea. Put everything else on the back burner. Seek wisdom. Seek understanding, because it’s more valuable than everything else in life. You will want it when you need it.
The application for us today: a wise person will surround themselves with people who have discernment and who are willing to teach them how to live better. If you haven’t done that, I would encourage you to make it a priority. Seek it like treasure.
Saying 13: Withhold Not Correction
Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
Proverbs 23:13–14
This is a very strong passage, but a very important one. The word “withhold” that the verse starts with means to hold back or deny something that is owed to another person. Discipline isn’t a choice as a parent.
Some people will say, “Well, I don’t believe in disciplining my children. I think man is inherently good, and children will seek out what’s right when they’re rewarded for it.” No, that is not scriptural. That’s not biblical. That’s not how real life works. If you don’t discipline your child, you are withholding it from them. You are holding back something they are owed from you as a parental figure.
The Bible says, “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” And, “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” Therefore, not disciplining your child is sin, because it is something owed to them by you as a parental figure.
The Rod of the Shepherd
It says, “for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.” Now, beat him does not mean child abuse. That’s not what we’re talking about. It’s not “I’m going to beat you up.” It’s literally just hit, punish, give a slap or something. That’s the idea in the Hebrew: just a singular hit. It’s not a beating. It’s not child abuse.
It says if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die. That’s how we know it’s not child abuse. The child isn’t in danger of death. It’s not a risk here. He might act like, “Oh, you’re disciplining me. I wish I was dead.” But that’s not how children really feel when they’re in trouble. That’s just what they’re saying to try and get out of it.
The word rod there would be a staff. Once again, this is not your grandpa with his belt. This is talking about a shepherd’s staff. It’s the idea of being pastoral, of being a shepherd who takes care of the sheep. Sometimes the sheep need to be reined in. Sometimes you’ve got to bonk them on the head with the staff. Why? Because you hate the sheep? No. Because sheep just do what everybody else does, and sometimes you’ve got to knock some sense into them so they don’t hurt themselves. That’s what we do with children. We shepherd them with the staff of the shepherd to teach them the way they should go.
Delivered from the Grave
Verse 14 says, “Thou shalt beat him with the rod,” or hit him with the staff, “and shalt deliver his soul from hell.” The word hell in the Hebrew is Sheol, the abode of the dead. So why do we hit the child with the staff of the shepherd? Because we want to deliver his soul from the grave.
The temporary pain of correction is necessary for children so they learn not to make mistakes before their mistakes have grave costs attached to them. I think we all understand that when you are a child, it is a lot better to make mistakes than when you are an adult. The consequences of crimes as an adult are much more severe than when you’re a child. If your child is going to make a mistake, pray it’s before they’re 18.
So it’s important that when children are young, we correct them and teach them in the way they should go. We need to ensure that we discipline them, that we correct them, and that there are consequences within the family for their actions, so that when they leave the family unit, they know there are consequences for their actions.
If a child grows up without any discipline in the family, he’s not going to fear the discipline the world has out there when he really should. He’s not going to be worried about stealing or committing minor crimes. He’ll think he can get away with anything. Why not? He’s been getting away with everything his entire life. His parents never told him what’s right and what’s wrong. They just believed he would learn on his own. The Bible does not teach this philosophy. A parent who does not discipline their child does not love their child.
He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Proverbs 13:24
His rod is his staff, and “betimes” means often. The one who does not love their child will not discipline their child. But the parent who loves their child will faithfully and consistently discipline them for their mistakes. Why? Because in doing so, they will save them from greater consequences down the line.
What’s our application? A wise person will discipline their children when they willfully make mistakes, because refusing to do so harms the child and leads the child to their own destruction.
Saying 14: A Parent’s Heart Rejoices
My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
Proverbs 23:15–16
Once again, this is talking about a parent and a child. It starts out with “My son,” so we have another parenting saying. It says, “If thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice.” That word in the Hebrew means to have a celebration, like we would have a birthday party or a New Year’s celebration. “My son, if your heart is wise, I’m going to throw a party.”
How many of you would say that about your kids? When I see my kids obeying God, doing wise things, being smart, I want to throw a party. You can relate to this. When you see your kids doing the right thing, it feels like something to celebrate. Why? Because it is. It’s a great thing.
With All My Kidneys
Verse 16 says, “Yea, my reins shall rejoice.” The word rejoice there in Hebrew is different. That one means to be lifted up in happiness, like the idea of being light on your feet.
The word reins is very unique to us. We don’t have this concept in English anymore. Reins is an old English word. Back then we had this concept, but we don’t now. In the Hebrew, it literally means kidneys: “My kidneys will rejoice.” If that were translated literally, you’d be like, “My what? My kidneys? That doesn’t make any sense to me.” Well, in the ancient days the kidneys represented the core of your being. The ancients thought the kidneys were the seat of emotions. You would say today, “I love you with all my heart.” But in the ancient days, you might say, “I love you with all of my kidneys.” The analogy confuses us a little today. But the idea is that the very core of my being will be lifted up by my child who acts wisely.
It says, “when thy lips speak right things.” The general idea in this passage is that when a child speaks what is right, when he demonstrates wisdom, discernment, and understanding, it makes the parents feel fulfilled. It makes them want to throw a party. It makes them feel light on their feet, like they’re skipping. There’s nothing better than to see your kids growing in wisdom.
Another truth from this is that when we do right, others are lifted up by it. This is talking about the family, but that’s not the limit of how the joy of people doing right works. Not only is your family going to be excited, but the people around you are going to rejoice in your wisdom too. How often can wisdom help those around you? How much can the love of God in one person’s life affect everyone around them? It’s very important.
A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
Proverbs 10:1
Children who grow up to be wise people are a joy. They make you light on your feet. They make you want to celebrate. But a child who grows up without wisdom is a heaviness and a burden to carry. A mother and a father never know what their child is doing, whether he’s making the right decisions, whether he’s harming himself, whether he’s making choices he can never take back. That weight will weigh heavily upon them.
So what’s the application? A wise person who is old will ensure that they teach their child to live wisely, so that later they can celebrate their child’s right way of life. A wise person who is young should seek to learn wisdom so that they can live a life their parents can celebrate with them. Whether you’re old or young, this saying relates to you. I don’t think any child wants to make their parents mourn or suffer. Those who are young should seek out wisdom in order to make their parents proud and live a life that carries on their legacy.
Saying 15: Do Not Envy Sinners
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
Proverbs 23:17–18
I think we can be honest with this one. It is tempting to be jealous of those living in sin who seem to have everything going for them. But this verse tells us not to fall into that temptation.
It’s easy to see the sinful seeming to prosper while we struggle, and we think, “Why should I do what is right? Why should I be faithful to God? They do all these horrible things, and they don’t suffer for it. Why do I have to suffer while so-and-so, who sins every day, seems to go through life fine?” How many of you can be honest and say that’s a temptation? I’ve seen it in my life. I’ve been jealous. Nobody wants to confess to that, but I know we’ve all been there.
Surely There Is an End
This saying rebukes that idea. It says, “For surely there is an end.” The word end there means a final outcome. So let not your heart envy, or be jealous of, sinners. Be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, for surely there is a final outcome, and your expectation shall not be cut off.
What’s our expectation for the wicked? That they’ll be punished. Why are we jealous of them? Because they’re not punished. So what is this saying? It’s saying that what you’re jealous of now is not the end result of their actions. Right now, they’re in the process of seeing the fruit of what they’ve sown. They haven’t reaped what they planted yet. The end result of what they’ve done is going to be much worse, but the time has not come. Instead of giving in to the temptation to say, “Why should I do what’s right?”, you should expect the results of their actions that God says will happen.
And realize that God is merciful. God gives time to repent. God gives people opportunities to do what is right and turn to him. Just as he was merciful to us, he’s merciful to others. But at the same time, what we expect to happen to them will eventually happen. They will eventually find the consequences of their actions. Maybe later in life their crimes will catch up to them. But even if not in this life, what do they have waiting for them on the other side? Nothing but condemnation and suffering. A final judgment like none other.
Instead of being jealous of these people, we should have the fear of the Lord. Why? Because he is the bringer of justice. Ultimately his justice will come, no matter how delayed it seems from our perspective.
For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. … Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
Psalm 73:3, 17–18
Those who are living in sin are on a slippery slope. You need to understand that on any day, in any hour, they can slip, and when they slip, destruction will come and there will be no restoration for them. Instead of jealousy, we should fear the Lord, who brings justice.
Our application today: a wise person will not be jealous of those who do evil, because he knows that eventually their sin will catch up to them and judgment will come.
Saying 16: Be Not Among Winebibbers
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Proverbs 23:19–21
This saying starts with an attention-getter, which is a little different from the others: “Son, you must listen to me and be wise.” What I’m going to say here is very important. Pay attention.
It says, “guide thine heart in the way.” That is the way that leads to life. Remember, we’ve talked about how Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and how that draws from the two ways: the way of life, of righteousness, and the way of death. He says, “My son, you need to be wise. You need to guide yourself to walk in the way of life, a way that honors God, a way that leads to success and not destruction.”
The Drunkard and the Glutton
It says, “Be not among winebibbers.” Literally, that word in the Hebrew means those who are intoxicated by wine. It also says, “among riotous eaters of flesh.” Literally, those who are gluttonous with meat.
Why these two categories? I can understand the alcoholic. We talk about that a lot more than we talk about gluttony, right? How many pastors have fallen into the sin of gluttony and just never preach on it? Quite a few. But these two are put side by side on purpose, because in this sense they are equal in their destructive ability: intoxication and gluttony.
Why? Because both the drunk and the glutton will come to poverty in the same way. The drunk is so wasted he can’t get up to do what he needs to, and his money is wasted on alcohol. The glutton is so unhealthy and obese he can’t do what he needs to in order to get money, and what money he does have is wasted on food. So the drunk and the glutton suffer the same end result. They’re unable to operate in society. They’re stuck fumbling around.
The drunk is hung over all the time. He’s groggy all the time. He can’t do anything because of his drunkenness. But the obese glutton who eats and eats and eats isn’t much better, because he’s so overweight he can’t walk. He huffs and puffs just to get around. He’s also drowsy and lazy, just like the drunk. Because of this, they can’t work like they should, and they waste what little they have on indulging in the dopamine hit of food and alcohol. In the end, what is the result? A sad, wasted life that lives for nothing more than the next tiny bit of encouragement they can find through their vices.
It says that “drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.” The word drowsiness in the Hebrew is the same concept we have in English, where people just can’t get anything done. This lifestyle is one of passiveness, doing the bare minimum to survive to the next day, just to get that next little breath of hope. But no good will ever come from it. And those who look on people living this way have nothing but sorrow in their hearts and disappointment for the standard of life they live.
Misery Loves Company
What’s the lesson? He says, “Be not among” these people. Do not associate with people who live like this. Don’t fall into their vices. They’re going to try to get you to do the same things as them and live to the same standard as them. Why? Because they’re miserable, and misery loves company. They’re going to want you to be as intoxicated as they are, as miserable as they are, and to indulge yourself as much as they do, because it will make them feel better about themselves. But he says, “My son, be wise. Listen, walk in the way of life, and separate yourself from an indulgent lifestyle.”
What’s the application? A wise person should avoid the vices of gluttony and alcohol to ensure they don’t waste their lives in addiction.
A lot of times we don’t think about food as an addiction. But in America, food addiction is a massive problem. It’s not just eating too much in general, but also eating too much junk even when you’re not eating a lot. If you’re constantly indulging in fast food, you’re going to find yourself in the gluttonous lifestyle later in life as it catches up to your health. Take care of your body. How much are you going to be able to do for God when your gluttony catches up to you? Not much. If you want to be a good Christian, you need to keep your temple able to function for the service of God.
Saying 17: Buy the Truth, and Sell It Not
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
Proverbs 23:22–25
Once again, we get another saying about parents and children. But this saying is as much for the young as it is for the old. Notice verse 22: “Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.” In other words, elderly. So is this talking about just young children? No. This is talking about all phases of life. It doesn’t just apply to youths, but to adults taking care of elderly parents. When you’re young, listen to your parents. When you are old, respect them.
It says, “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” In other words, the elderly have wisdom. They’ve lived a long life and had many experiences, and those experiences are very valuable to anyone at any age. So respect them.
Maybe in their lives they didn’t always make the best choices. Maybe your childhood wasn’t good. Maybe you have a bad relationship. But regardless, they’ve lived a full life. They have experiences and wisdom they can still pass to you. Maybe your mother and father never did a good thing in your life. Well, good: you can learn what not to do. There is always wisdom with age. So don’t despise them when they’re old. Don’t think they have nothing to add to your life. Consider that their age comes with wisdom.
Wisdom Is an Investment
What do we do with that wisdom? Verse 23: “Buy the truth, and sell it not.” We need to have the mentality that we are purchasing wisdom and truth. This passage tells us two things about wisdom and truth. Number one, wisdom is an investment. It’s something we have to work toward. It doesn’t just happen on its own. Number two, wisdom can be sold in pursuit of other things.
So first, we need to seek wisdom as something that can be obtained and purchased through our lives. Our parents are a great source of wisdom, because they have lived longer than us. Buy their truth.
But then don’t sell it. How do you sell truth? Am I talking about charging a monthly subscription to my new class on how to be a better man? No. You sell the truth when you ignore the wisdom you’re given in pursuit of something else. There are going to be opportunities in your life that people want you to take that will make you sell some of your wisdom. You’re going to know in your heart that this isn’t fully right, that making this choice means giving up some of the standards Mom and Dad taught me, giving up some of the standards the Word of God has spoken to me.
So buy the truth. Invest in it. Spend time in the Word, learning the words of God. Spend time with the old, learning from their experiences. Gain wisdom. But when the rubber meets the road, don’t give it up for something less. Wisdom is a powerful thing, but it can also be dropped for foolish choices at any moment.
A Legacy for Your Father and Mother
Verses 24 and 25 tell us the end result for those who buy wisdom: “The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.” Those who purchase wisdom will make their parents happy and proud of them.
It’s not hard to make your parents proud. But it’s really hard to lift them up in the way this verse is talking about: to have integrity in all areas of your life. Not to have them say, “Oh, I wish my son didn’t make that choice. I wish my daughter hadn’t done that.” But to say, “Oh my goodness, my kids are such a blessing to me. It is so good to see them living this way. I couldn’t be more proud of them. I wish I could have lived like they do when I was young.”
Don’t you want to leave that legacy for your parents? Even if they’re not here today, wouldn’t you want to leave a legacy that lives well in their name, giving them a good name through how you live in this world? I know I do.
What’s the application? A wise person will pursue wisdom, discipline, and discernment in order to build a good legacy for his father and mother. It takes a lot of time to raise a child. Anybody who’s done it knows it’s a lot of work, and it doesn’t end at 18. Your parents have invested a lot in you, so leave a legacy for them that makes them proud.
Conclusion
As we continue to look through these sayings of the wise, we are reminded that God wants his people to live wisely in all areas of life: in how we treat the vulnerable around us, how we receive instruction and wisdom from others, how we raise our children, how we respond to sinners, and how we honor our parents. Wisdom is not just about knowing what is right, but about choosing to live in the fear of the Lord every day, no matter what comes our way.
The world may tempt us to take shortcuts on our journey. Maybe it’s envying the wicked. Maybe it’s ignoring correction when it’s given to us. Or maybe it’s wasting our lives on temporary pleasures. But God teaches us that every choice has an end result. Sin may look successful for a season, but one day judgment will come. Staying away from that judgment through wisdom requires discipline, humility, and sacrifice. But in the end, that sacrifice will lead to life, joy, and a legacy that honors God in everything we do.
So the question for us today is simple. Are we buying truth, or are we selling it? Are we pursuing wisdom, instruction, and discernment? Or are we trading them away for temporary comfort, pleasure, or pride?
God wants his people to live wisely in all areas of their lives. So, will you choose to live wisely today?
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