What does Proverbs 8:36 mean?

In this closing verse of Proverbs 8, wisdom warns of the consequences of ignoring her advice (Proverbs 8:1–4, 10–11). Our existence includes one, singular, most important choice: between life and death. It is wise to choose life, but many choose death because they love sin.

The Bible refers to three kinds of death, and each one involves separation. Physical death separates the body from the soul, and Hebrews 9:27 points out that everyone has an appointment with this kind of death. Genesis 5 lists men who lived for a very long time, but each of them, except Enoch, died because "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23), and "sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned" (Romans 5:12).

There is also spiritual death. All unbelievers exist in a state of spiritual death (Ephesians 2:1), which is separation from God in this life. Finally, there is eternal death, which is separation from God throughout eternity. Revelation 20:12–15 describes this separation from God in the lake of fire, calling it "the second death" (Revelation 20:14). It is wise to trust in Jesus and thereby pass from death unto life (1 John 3:14; 5:11–12).