The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.
The verse stands among chapters 12 to 15 as one of Solomon's poetic wise sayings, part of a storehouse of practical wisdom and moral philosophy for everyday duties to family, neighbor, friend, and God. In that setting it teaches the value of sincerity and sets forth Jehovah as creator and governor of the universe and disposer of human destinies, who rewards piety and punishes evil. The word soul here means the mind or person as the seat of desire and feeling.
An accomplished desire brings inward pleasure and delight, described as sweetness to the soul. That sweetness is like the sweetness of praise and flattery to the human heart. It is abomination to fools to depart from evil because the heart is loath to accept reproof, so submission to correction is necessary. The delight of fulfilled desire is seen in freedom from tobacco, where after years of dependence a person who resolves to give it up and perseveres experiences the victory as precious and deeply satisfying.
The verse stands among chapters 12 to 15 as one of Solomon's poetic wise sayings, part of a storehouse of practical wisdom and moral philosophy for everyday duties to family, neighbor, friend, and God. In that setting it teaches the value of sincerity and sets forth Jehovah as creator and governor of the universe and disposer of human destinies, who rewards piety and punishes evil. The word soul here means the mind or person as the seat of desire and feeling.
An accomplished desire brings inward pleasure and delight, described as sweetness to the soul. That sweetness is like the sweetness of praise and flattery to the human heart. It is abomination to fools to depart from evil because the heart is loath to accept reproof, so submission to correction is necessary. The delight of fulfilled desire is seen in freedom from tobacco, where after years of dependence a person who resolves to give it up and perseveres experiences the victory as precious and deeply satisfying.