Proverbs 4:24
in Proverbs 4Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.
KJV
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
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This verse in Proverbs 4
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
a froward mouth--that is, a mouth, or words of ill nature. The Hebrew word differs from that used (Pr 2:15; 3:32). perverse--or, "quarreling." lips--or, "words."
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
This site's exposition
Put away from thee a froward mouth
on Proverbs 4:24-27
The instruction narrows from the heart to the body, mouth, eyes, and feet, each told to hold a straight course. Let thine eyes look right on pictures a traveler who does not glance aside at every distraction, and ponder the path of thy feet asks for weighed, deliberate steps rather than a wandering gait. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left closes the chapter where it began, a single road kept by refusing every side path.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Remove from you a deceitful mouth, etc. This must be understood in two ways: that you should guard your own mouth from speaking anything deceitful, and keep your lips from getting used to detractions, and that you should flee from others whom you know to …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
All manner of tongue sins, we must, by constant watchfulness and stedfast resolution, put from us, put far from us, abstaining from all words that have an appearance of evil and fearing to learn any such words. We must make a covenant with our eyes: "Let them look right on and straight before thee,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Turn it from beholding vanity; let thy eye be single and not divided; let thy intentions be sincere and uniform, and look not asquint at any by-end." We must keep our eye upon our Master, and be careful to approve ourselves to him; keep our eye upon our rule, and conform to that; keep our eye upon our mark, the prize of the high calling, and direct all towards that.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Put away from thee a froward mouth,.... A mouth speaking froward and perverse things; things contrary to right reason, to the law of God, and Gospel of Christ; blasphemies against God or men; every thing that is untrue, unchaste, unjust, foolish, and filthy; all swearing, lying, and everything that is repugnant to truth and justice.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A froward mouth - Beware of hastiness, anger, and rash speeches. And perverse lips - Do not delight in nor acquire the habit of contradicting and gainsaying; and beware of calumniating and backbiting your neighbor.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Speech turned from its true purpose, the wandering eye that leads on to evil, action hasty and inconsiderate, are the natural results where we do not “above all keeping keep our heart” Pro 4:23.
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הָסֵ֣ר | haser | remove | H5493 → | 299 times |
| מִ֭מְּךָ | mimekha | from yourself | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| עִקְּשׁ֣וּת | ʾikeshut | crookedness of | H6143 → | |
| פֶּ֑ה | peh | mouth | H6310 → | 498 times |
| וּלְז֥וּת | ulezut | and deviousness of | H3891 → | |
| שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם | sefatayim | lips | H8193 → | 176 times |
| הַרְחֵ֥ק | harchek | put far away | H7368 → | 57 times |
| מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ | mimeka | from yourself | H4480 → | 1188 times |
הָסֵ֣רremove
haserH5493 →299 times
מִ֭מְּךָfrom yourself
mimekhaH4480 →1188 times
עִקְּשׁ֣וּתcrookedness of
ʾikeshutH6143 →
פֶּ֑הmouth
pehH6310 →498 times
וּלְז֥וּתand deviousness of
ulezutH3891 →
שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִםlips
sefatayimH8193 →176 times
הַרְחֵ֥קput far away
harchekH7368 →57 times
מִמֶּֽךָּ׃from yourself
mimekaH4480 →1188 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
James 1:26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:29
Let 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.
- Psalms 141:3
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
- 1 Peter 3:10
For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
- Ephesians 5:4
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.
- Proverbs 19:1
Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a fool whose lips are perverse.
- Ephesians 4:29
Through
Proverbs 8:13To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
it leads to
- Psalms 97:10
Hate evil, O you who love the LORD! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
- Proverbs 16:6
By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns aside from evil.
- 1 Samuel 2:3
Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed.
- Psalms 97:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on 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.