**The Tale of Two Sons: Wisdom and Folly**
In the ancient city of Jerusalem, nestled among the rolling hills of Judah, there lived a man named Eliab, a scribe who served in the courts of King Hezekiah. He was a man of great wisdom, well-versed in the Law of the Lord, and he had two sons: Jotham and Reuben. Though they were brothers born of the same father, their hearts could not have been more different.
### **The Wise Son: Jotham**
Jotham, the elder, was a diligent and upright young man. From his earliest days, he heeded his father’s instruction, rising before dawn to study the Scriptures and laboring faithfully in the family’s fields. His hands were calloused from honest toil, and his lips often whispered prayers as he worked.
One summer, when the rains ceased and the earth grew parched, many in Jerusalem feared famine. But Jotham, remembering the words of his father—*”A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich”* (Proverbs 10:4)—had stored up grain in the years of plenty. Now, when hunger gnawed at the bellies of his neighbors, Jotham opened his storehouses. He sold his provisions at fair prices to those in need and gave freely to the destitute. The people blessed his name, and his father’s heart swelled with pride, for *”the blessing of the Lord makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it”* (Proverbs 10:22).
### **The Foolish Son: Reuben**
Reuben, however, despised labor. He spent his days lounging in the marketplace, laughing with idlers and scoffing at wisdom. His pockets jingled with stolen coins, for he had taken to thievery, thinking himself clever. *”The wages of the righteous bring life, but the earnings of the wicked bring sin and death”* (Proverbs 10:16).
One evening, as the sun dipped below the hills, Reuben crept into a merchant’s house, his fingers closing around a purse of silver. But the merchant, a vigilant man, caught him in the act. The guards dragged Reuben before the city elders, and though Eliab pleaded for mercy, justice was swift. Reuben was beaten and cast into prison, his name now a byword for shame. *”The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot”* (Proverbs 10:7).
### **The Harvest of Their Ways**
Years passed. Jotham married a woman of virtue, and their home was filled with laughter and peace. His children sat at his feet, learning the ways of righteousness, and his fields flourished, for *”the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life”* (Proverbs 10:11).
But Reuben, released from prison, wandered the streets, hollow-eyed and bitter. No one trusted him; no door opened to him. When famine struck again, he gnawed on scraps like a stray dog, for *”the one who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son”* (Proverbs 10:5).
One cold night, as the wind howled through the alleys, Reuben stumbled toward his brother’s house. Jotham, seeing his gaunt face, wept and embraced him. “Stay, brother,” he said. “Eat and be restored.”
But Reuben’s heart remained hard. He stole from Jotham’s own table and fled into the darkness. Not long after, his body was found by the roadside, lifeless and alone.
### **The Wisdom of the Ages**
Eliab gathered his grandchildren and spoke with sorrow and solemnity. “See the fruit of wisdom and the end of folly. *The way of the Lord is strength to the upright, but destruction awaits the workers of iniquity* (Proverbs 10:29). Choose wisdom, my children, for her path leads to life.”
And so the tale of the two sons was told for generations, a living testimony to the truth of Solomon’s words: *”The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be cut short. The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish”* (Proverbs 10:27-28).
Thus, let all who hear understand: wisdom is life, and folly is death. Choose wisely.
