Musar su Proverbi 11:2

Furthermore, he should take great care not to stand in the company of men. And even if he needs something essential, he should not linger there, unless he does not know them to be men among whom there is no forbidden speech. And even if the entire company are good men, and there is found one among them who is a man of malice, he spoils the entire company and it is advisable to leave them, or at least to court silence at that time with all of his strength, as written in Rosh Hagivah: "Take heed, my son, of what was said by King Solomon, may peace be upon him (Mishlei 23:9): 'In the ears of a fool do not speak, for he will shame the wisdom of your words.' Take heed, then, of a gathering of a hundred men if there is among them one fool or one speaker of levity, especially one who is wise in his [own] eyes, who is the true fool, as it is written: 'The fool is wise in his eyes.' Strengthen yourself and sit in silence and speak of nothing in that gathering. For even if you speak all kinds of wisdom, he will triumph over you, and you will take [only] shame for yourself. For thus has Solomon said (Ibid. 11:2): '[The man of] malice comes and shames comes, etc.' And even if you want to speak [privately] with your friend, make sure that you are not heard by that man, even from behind a fence. For this reason it is written 'In the ears of a fool do not speak,' and not 'With a fool do not speak.' This is the voice of experience. I have tried all of this several times at a mitzvah feast and have found it to be true. Therefore, flee, my son, from a gathering like this, for he [the fool] demeans all who are there; or seize silence and be saved."

WE had much to say on the praiseworthiness of the quality of prudency, but the quantity of blame which we shall mete out to the quality of impudence is small. He who is possessed of the quality of shamelessness is culpable in the eyes of God, as are those of whom it is said (Jer. v. 3), "They have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return." The Saint says with reference to the impudent (Prov. xi. 2), "When pride cometh, then cometh shame," which means that when impudence prevails over the qualities of man, he is scorned by men and not respected. He is not taken seriously, nor is he regarded with that consideration for his wisdom, even though he be learned, which is paid to the prudent. Thus it is written (ib.) "But with the lowly is wisdom." If one is wise and desires to pursue the goodly course which is acceptable unto God, let him abandon this quality, refrain from exercising it, and keep it afar from the character of his soul. Of him who is impudent the prince saith (id. xxi. 24), "Proud and haughty scorner is his name," by which he means that God will requite according to his doing, whosoever is impudent, as it is written (ib.), "Who dealeth in proud wrath." It is possible also that "Who dealeth in proud wrath" refers to such an impudent one as, by reason of the qualitv of impudence, provokes the displeasure and annoyance of others, and so forth.