Once again, the wise man is compared to a father who wants to raise his son in the best way possible. It was very common for teachers of wisdom to call their disciples “children.” The key to understanding this passage lies in verse 2, which follows from the simple observation that a person lives by what they are. If there is a constant concern in each person to act reasonably, correctly, and justly, that is what they consume. Here, “to eat” has the symbolic meaning of the food necessary for survival. However, those who act in opposition will be filled with evil, and not only they, but their actions will also spread to the group and community; these are the violent ones, those who always seek evil and harm others.