Proverbs 22:25 kjv

Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

Proverbs 22:25 nkjv

Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

Proverbs 22:25 niv

or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.

Proverbs 22:25 esv

lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

Proverbs 22:25 nlt

or you will learn to be like them
and endanger your soul.

Proverbs 22 verses

Proverbs 22 25 Meaning

This proverb serves as a stern warning against associating with quarrelsome, hot-tempered individuals. The core message is that prolonged exposure to such character will inevitably lead to adopting their destructive habits and mindset, resulting in a profound and entangling trap for one's inner being and moral life. It emphasizes the subtle yet powerful influence of close companionship on one's own character and destiny.

Proverbs 22 25 Context

Proverbs 22:25 stands as the second part of a couplet (22:24-25) directly advising against friendship with violent or angry individuals. This specific section of Proverbs (22:17-24:34) is often referred to as the "Sayings of the Wise" and reflects teachings designed to shape character and practical wisdom. Historically, in ancient Israelite society, interpersonal relationships and the communal structure were paramount. Maintaining moral uprightness required deliberate choices about one's associates, as social connections profoundly impacted one's reputation, conduct, and spiritual well-being. This proverb highlights a preventive measure for personal holiness and warns against the subtle assimilation of destructive behaviors through constant exposure, reinforcing the cultural emphasis on moral purity and communal health.

Proverbs 22 25 Word analysis

• Lest (פן - pen): This word functions as a strong negative conjunction, signaling a warning against a feared or undesirable consequence. It translates to "in order that not" or "for fear that." Its use here makes the following statement a direct caution, emphasizing the danger inherent in the action previously forbidden (friendship with the angry).
• thou learn (תֶלְמַּד - telmaḏ): Derived from the verb lamad, meaning "to learn" or "to teach." It implies not just intellectual apprehension but also practical assimilation, habituation, and imitation. This isn't merely observing an angry person, but internalizing their behavior patterns, allowing them to become part of one's own character through association. It suggests a process of absorption.
• his ways (אֹרְחֹתָיו - orḥoṯaw): The plural form of oraḥ, meaning "path" or "way." In Proverbs, "ways" frequently denotes one's course of life, habits, conduct, or character. It encompasses moral and spiritual dispositions, not just physical actions. Therefore, "his ways" refers to the specific, destructive habits of anger, strife, and recklessness characteristic of the violent man.
• and get (וְלָקַחְתָּ - wəlaqaḥta): From the verb laqaḥ, meaning "to take," "to receive," or "to acquire." The choice of "get" suggests an active, though perhaps unintentional, appropriation or acquisition. It implies that the "snare" doesn't just happen to you, but you become actively implicated in acquiring it. It's not a passive victimization but a consequence of your choices.
• a snare (מוֹקֵשׁ - moqesh): This noun refers to a "trap" or "snare," typically used for hunting animals. In a figurative sense, as here, it represents a moral or spiritual pitfall, a situation or habit that ensnares, entangles, and brings harm or ruin. It implies entanglement that restricts freedom and leads to suffering or destruction.
• to thy soul (לְנַפְשֶׁךָ - lənafsheḵā): The Hebrew word nephesh (soul) refers to the whole person, their very life, their being, their essence, including emotions, will, and character. Thus, a snare "to thy soul" signifies a profound, internal entanglement that affects the core of one's personhood, leading to spiritual degradation, moral compromise, or personal ruin, rather than mere external difficulties.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• Lest thou learn his ways: This phrase highlights the profound risk of adopting undesirable character traits through close association. It emphasizes that constant exposure to specific behaviors (the "ways" of the angry person) can lead to the assimilation of those behaviors, making them one's own. It speaks to the contagious nature of character and moral conduct.
• and get a snare to thy soul: This part reveals the dire consequence of learning such ways. The acquired behaviors ("his ways") transform into an internal "snare," a self-imposed trap. This "snare" is not merely an external obstacle but an internal condition that limits freedom, leads to destructive patterns, and brings about moral and spiritual damage to one's very being or nephesh.

Proverbs 22 25 Bonus section

This proverb implicitly promotes the "law of proximity" or "contagion theory" in a moral sense – that character traits, both positive and negative, can be transmitted through close association. The negative application here warns against absorbing anger and conflict. Conversely, it implies that surrounding oneself with the wise and virtuous will lead to positive assimilation, echoing Prov 13:20, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise." The spiritual "snare" indicates a bondage from which true freedom can only come through divine wisdom and deliverance. It reminds believers that discernment in companionship is an act of spiritual self-preservation, guarding the inner life from corruption and protecting the soul from patterns of sin that are difficult to break free from once established.

Proverbs 22 25 Commentary

Proverbs 22:25 acts as a powerful preventative warning, expanding on the previous verse's counsel against associating with an angry man. The wisdom here transcends simple advice, articulating a spiritual principle: that intimacy with individuals of uncontrolled temper is not benign but inherently transformative. "Learning his ways" signifies more than superficial observation; it means adopting their pattern of behavior, their approach to life's frustrations, their methods of communication. This assimilation, often unconscious, builds over time until those external habits become internal inclinations. The grave outcome, "get a snare to thy soul," illustrates the personal entrapment that results. This snare is not merely external trouble but an internal moral or spiritual bondage, where one's own character becomes the pitfall, hindering peace, sound judgment, and righteous living. It serves as a potent reminder that our closest relationships inevitably shape who we become, and thus demand discerning wisdom in their cultivation.