Proverbs 15:14 (DRB)

Passage

The heart of the wise seeketh instruction: and the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 15:12 A corrupt man loveth not one that reproveth him: nor will he go to the wise.

Proverbs 15:13 A glad heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by grief of mind the spirit is cast down.

Proverbs 15:14 The heart of the wise seeketh instruction: and the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the poor are evil: a secure mind is like a continual feast.

Proverbs 15:16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasures without content.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "heart", "wise", "seeketh", "instruction", "mouth", "fools", "feedeth", and "foolishness". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "heart" and "wise", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "A glad heart maketh a cheerful countenance..." into verse 15's "All the days of the poor are...", so "heart" and "wise" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "heart" and "wise" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.