Proverbs 10:31
in Proverbs 10The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom; But the perverse tongue shall be cut off.
KJV
The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
⋯
This verse in Proverbs 10
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Bringeth forth ... - As a tree full of life and sap brings forth its fruit. So the “froward tongue” is like a tree that brings forth evil and not good fruit; it “shall be cut down.” The abuse of God’s gift of speech will lead ultimately to its forfeiture. There shall, at last, be the silence of shame and confusion.
This site's exposition
Like vinegar to the teeth
on Proverbs 10:26-32
The closing set returns to the comparison: the slacker is “Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,” irritation in place of help. The couplets that follow, from “The righteous will never be shaken” to “a perverse tongue will be cut out,” gather the argument into one rhythm.
This site's exposition
a perverse tongue will be cut out
The verb bring forth is used of a tree bearing fruit. Albert Barnes carries the image through: the perverse tongue is the barren tree that is cut down. A gift of speech abused is a gift lost.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The froward tongue shall be cut out - This probably alludes to the punishment of cutting out the tongue for blasphemy, treasonable speeches, profane swearing, or such like. The tunge of schrewis schal perishen. - Old MS. Bible. Were the tongue of every shrew or scold to be extracted, we should soon have much less noise in the world.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| פִּֽי־ | pi- | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| צַ֭דִּיק | tzadik | a righteous [person] | H6662 → | 206 times |
| יָנ֣וּב | yanuv | it will bear fruit | H5107 → | |
| חָכְמָ֑ה | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| וּלְשׁ֥וֹן | uleshon | and a tongue of | H3956 → | 117 times |
| תַּ֝הְפֻּכ֗וֹת | tahpukhot | perversities | H8419 → | 10 times |
| תִּכָּרֵֽת׃ | tikaret | it will be cut off | H3772 → | 288 times |
פִּֽי־[the] mouth of
pi-H6310 →498 times
צַ֭דִּיקa righteous [person]
tzadikH6662 →206 times
יָנ֣וּבit will bear fruit
yanuvH5107 →
חָכְמָ֑הwisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
וּלְשׁ֥וֹןand a tongue of
uleshonH3956 →117 times
תַּ֝הְפֻּכ֗וֹתperversities
tahpukhotH8419 →10 times
תִּכָּרֵֽת׃it will be cut off
tikaretH3772 →288 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
Psalms 37:30The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
it leads to
- Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
- Proverbs 25:11–13
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
- 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.
- Proverbs 15:7
The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but not so the hearts of fools.
- Matthew 12:35
The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.
- Colossians 4:6
Through
Psalms 63:11But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by Him will exult, for the mouths of liars will be shut.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 6:13
Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.
- Psalms 21:1
O LORD, the king rejoices in Your strength. How greatly he exults in Your salvation!
- Deuteronomy 6:13
Through
Proverbs 10:13Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.
it leads to
- Proverbs 26:3
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
- Proverbs 26:3
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); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.