Proverbs 31:26
in Proverbs 31She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue.
KJV
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
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This verse in Proverbs 31
Commentary
11 notes on this verseIn her tongue - Her speeches are guided by wisdom and grace, and not by inordinate passions. And this practice is called a law in her tongue, because it is constant and customary, and proceeds from an inward and powerful principle of true wisdom.
This site's exposition
Strength and honor are her clothing
on Proverbs 31:25-31
"Strength and honor are her clothing," her own character answering the scarlet. Her children and husband praise her, and verse 30 gives the motto, the fear of the LORD that opened the book at 1:7. The poem ends where it began, "at the gates" where her husband was known.
This site's exposition
She opens her mouth with wisdom
Wesley reads the instruction on her tongue as a law, constant and customary. Her words come from a settled wisdom, and her passions stay in check. Her words match her works.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
There is mercy on [Jesus'] tongue, and so he teaches the Law mercifully, as was said about wisdom: "But she carries on her tongue the Law and mercy." Do not fear that you cannot fulfill the Law; flee to mercy.
"She has opened her mouth with care, and imposed order on her tongue," praising creatures as creatures, the creator as creator, angels as angels, heavenly things as heavenly, earthly things as earthly, men as men, animals as animals. Nothing mixed up, nothing out of order. Not taking the name of the Lord her God in vain, not attributing the nature of a creature to the creator, speaking about everything so methodically that she doesn't put lesser things above the more important or subordinate the more important to the lesser.
The Medieval Church1 voice
She opened her mouth with wisdom, etc. She opened her mouth for this only, to teach wisdom, according to that of the Apostle: Let no evil word proceed from your mouth, but only that which is good for the edification of faith, that it may …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
She openeth her mouth with wisdom,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
In Hebrew the verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order (compare Introduction to Poetical Books). Who . . . woman--The question implies that such are rare, though not entirely wanting (compare Pr 18:22; 19:14). virtuous--literally, "of strength," that is, moral courage (compare Pr 12:4;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Strength and honor are her clothing - 16. All the articles manufactured by herself or under her care have a double perfection: 1. They are strong. 2. They are elegant; Strength and honor are her clothing; and on account of this she shall rejoice in time to come; she shall never have occasion to blush for any thing she has made, for any thing she or hers have worn, or for any thing she has sold.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Law of kindness - The words which come from the lips of the true wife are as a law giving guidance and instruction to those that hear them; but the law is not proclaimed in its sterner aspects, but as one in which “mercy tempers justice,” and love, the fulfilling of the law, is seen to be the source from which it springs.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| פִּ֭יהָ | piha | mouth her | H6310 → | 498 times |
| פָּתְחָ֣ה | patechah | she opens | H6605 → | 144 times |
| בְחָכְמָ֑ה | vechakhemah | with wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| וְתֽוֹרַת־ | vetorat- | and instruction of | H8451 → | 219 times |
| חֶ֝֗סֶד | chesed | loyalty | H2617 → | 247 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [is] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ׃ | leshonah | tongue her | H3956 → | 117 times |
פִּ֭יהָmouth her
pihaH6310 →498 times
פָּתְחָ֣הshe opens
patechahH6605 →144 times
בְחָכְמָ֑הwith wisdom
vechakhemahH2451 →153 times
וְתֽוֹרַת־and instruction of
vetorat-H8451 →219 times
חֶ֝֗סֶדloyalty
chesedH2617 →247 times
עַל־[is] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ׃tongue her
leshonahH3956 →117 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 4:29Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
it leads to
- Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
- Proverbs 15:7
The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but not so the hearts of fools.
- Colossians 3:8–9
But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
- Colossians 4:6
Through
Colossians 4:5Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:15–17
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- James 3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:12
Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.
- Ephesians 5:15–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Proverbs
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 7:10.2; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 37:23; Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.