Proverbs 10:19

When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.

BSB

Parallel translations

4 additional translations

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KJV

In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

ASV

In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; But he that refraineth his lips doeth wisely.

YLT

In the abundance of words transgression ceaseth not, And whoso is restraining his lips is wise.

DBT

In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; but he that restraineth his lips doeth wisely.

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Commentary voices

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Voices3

On this verse

The virtue of silence, especially in church, is very great. Let no sentence of the divine lessons escape you. If you give ear, restrain your voice, utter no word with your lips which you would wish to bring back, but let your boldness to speak be sparing. For in truth in much speaking there is abundance of sin. To the murderer it was said, "You have sinned, be silent," that he might not sin more; but to the virgin it must be said, "Be silent lest you sin."

Ambrose of Milan· Concerning Virginity 3.3.11, 397patristic

Related commentary

In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin,.... Where a great deal is said, without care and forethought, there will not only be many weak things uttered, but much falsehood, and at least many idle things, which cannot be excused from sin; not but that much and long speaking may be to great profit and advantage, when it is with care and judgment, and founded on close meditation and study.

John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)reformed

There wanteth not sin - Some render this, Sin shall not cease, etc., i. e., many words do not mend a fault. Silence on the part both of the reprover and the offender is often better. The King James Version is, however, preferable.

Albert Barnes· Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)evangelical

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Cross-references

19 linked verses

The verses this one reaches12

Proverbs 18:21
Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
James 1:19
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
Proverbs 13:3
He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
Ecclesiastes 5:2
Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
Proverbs 21:23
He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
James 1:26
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
Proverbs 17:27
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
James 3:2
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.
Ecclesiastes 10:13–14
The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
Proverbs 11:12
Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks judgment, but a man of understanding remains silent.
Ecclesiastes 5:3
As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
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.”

7 more linked verses are grouped by book below ↓

Cross-references

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The quotation web

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Around this verse

Word doors

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread — the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

About this book

King Solomon in Old Age — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

Proverbs — Gnomic wisdom — sayings, instructions, and the binary of wisdom vs. folly. Fear of the LORD as the integrative theme; the virtuous woman of Prov 31 as the book's closing portrait of wisdom embodied.

Canon: Old Testament
Author: Solomon principally (1:1; chs 10–22:16 and 25–29 explicitly); Agur (ch 30); Lemuel's mother (ch 31:1–9); editorial compilation by Hezekiah's men (25:1).
Date: Solomon's reign c. 970–930 BC; Hezekiah's editorial layer c. 715–687 BC.

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first — the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
James 1:19
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
leads to
- Proverbs 17:27
  A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
- Proverbs 13:3
  He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Proverbs 21:23
  He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
- Proverbs 14:29
  A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
- Proverbs 18:13
  He who answers a matter before he hears it— this is folly and disgrace to him.
Through
James 3:2
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.
leads to
- James 1:26
  If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
- 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.
- Matthew 12:37
  For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The whole web at once: see the Arc.

Where the connections lead

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Continue: Proverbs 10 →