Proverbs 10:14
in Proverbs 10The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool invites destruction.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Wise men lay up knowledge; But the mouth of the foolish is a present destruction.
KJV
Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
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This verse in Proverbs 10
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThe wise hide knowledge. Knowing indeed, that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak (Eccl. III). Hence the prophet says, "While the sinner stood against me, I was mute and humbled and silent from good things" (Psal. XXXVIII). And the …
This site's exposition
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life
on Proverbs 10:11-14
The tongue cluster opens here and runs to the chapter's end, setting “a fountain of life” against a mouth that “conceals violence”. The two clauses of 10:12, “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions,” state the chapter's case for what speech does to a household.
This site's exposition
The wise store up knowledge
The wise store knowledge like grain, to bring it out at the fit time. John Wesley puts the contrast in two verbs: fools are more forward to lay out than to lay up. Their talk brings ruin near.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
But the mouth of the fool is near to confusion. Because either he will speak good things inordinately, or openly speak evil things.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Lay up - In their minds, to be brought forth upon fit occasions. Knowledge - Whereby they may be enabled to speak both what, and when it is seasonable. But - Fools are more forward to lay out than to lay up, and for want of knowledge speak much and foolishly, whereby they frequently bring destruction upon themselves.
Wise men lay up knowledge,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
lay up knowledge--that is, as treasures for good use. mouth . . . destruction--or, "as to the mouth," &c., destruction is near; they expose themselves to evil by prating.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Wise men lay up knowledge - They keep secret every thing that has a tendency to disturb domestic or public peace; but the foolish man blabs all out, and produces much mischief. Think much, speak little, and always think before you speak. This will promote your own peace and that of your neighbor.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Lay up - The point of the maxim is that the wise man reserves what he has to say for the right time, place, and persons (compare Mat 7:6), as contrasted with the foolish, ever giving immediate utterance to what destroys himself and others.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Wise men store up knowledge They guard it in their heart so that they do not forget it.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Wisdom is found in the lips of the understanding When a person reproves an understanding individual, he replies to him, “I have sinned,” e.g. David, who said to Nathan, “I have sinned” (11 Sam.:13).
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| חֲכָמִ֥ים | chakhamim | wise [people] | H2450 → | 138 times |
| יִצְפְּנוּ־ | yitzpenu- | they store up | H6845 → | 32 times |
| דָ֑עַת | daat | knowledge | H1847 → | 92 times |
| וּפִֽי־ | ufi- | and [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| אֱ֝וִיל | ʾevil | a fool | H191 → | 26 times |
| מְחִתָּ֥ה | mechitah | [is] destruction | H4288 → | 11 times |
| קְרֹבָֽה׃ | kerovah | near | H7138 → |
חֲכָמִ֥יםwise [people]
chakhamimH2450 →138 times
יִצְפְּנוּ־they store up
yitzpenu-H6845 →32 times
דָ֑עַתknowledge
daatH1847 →92 times
וּפִֽי־and [the] mouth of
ufi-H6310 →498 times
אֱ֝וִילa fool
ʾevilH191 →26 times
מְחִתָּ֥ה[is] destruction
mechitahH4288 →11 times
קְרֹבָֽה׃near
kerovahH7138 →
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
Proverbs 13:3He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
it leads to
- Proverbs 21:23
He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
- Proverbs 18:21
Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
- Proverbs 18:7
A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
- James 3:2–12
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.
- Psalms 39:1
I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.”
- Proverbs 21:23
Through
Proverbs 9:9Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.
it leads to
- Proverbs 1:5
let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
- Proverbs 1:5
Through
Proverbs 18:7A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
it leads to
- Proverbs 13:3
He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
- Proverbs 12:13
An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech, but a righteous man escapes from trouble.
- Proverbs 13:3
Where this verse is studied
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; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.