Proverbs 12:14
in Proverbs 12By fruitful speech a man is filled with good things, and the work of his hands returns to him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth; And the doings of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him.
KJV
A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him.
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This verse in Proverbs 12
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech
on Proverbs 12:13-16
“An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech,” but the righteous escapes, and in verse 14 speech fills a man with good. The fool's way is “right in his own eyes,” but “a wise man listens to counsel,” wise for his willingness to be corrected.
This site's exposition
By fruitful speech a man is filled with good things
Speech and work are both pictured as crops that return to the one who planted them. Bede adds that a man's teaching bears fruit only when his own hands do the good he teaches. Words and deeds are harvested together.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
Each will be filled with good things from the fruit of his mouth. The fruit of the mouth is a good word, for he who speaks evil does not generate the fruit of the mouth, but harm. Therefore, everyone who speaks good will be rewarded …
And according to the works of his hands it will be repaid to him. For otherwise, his teaching will not be fruitful if he himself is the first not to do the good that he teaches.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
From the fruit of a man’s mouth From the reward of the mouth of those who engage in the Torah, they eat the good of this world, and the principal remains intact for them for the world to come.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Because of the transgression of the lips Because of the transgression of the lips of the generation of the Flood, who said (Job:15): “What is the Almighty that we should serve Him?” an evil snare came upon them, and Noah, the righteous man, came out of the trouble.
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
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִפְּרִ֣י | miperi | from [the] fruit of | H6529 → | 119 times |
| פִי־ | fi- | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| אִ֭ישׁ | ʾish | a person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| יִשְׂבַּע־ | yisba'- | he will be satisfied | H7646 → | 97 times |
| ט֑וֹב | tov | good thing[s] | H2896 → | 538 times |
| וּגְמ֥וּל | ugemul | and [the] dealing of | H1576 → | |
| יְדֵי־ | yedei- | [the] hands of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| אָ֝דָ֗ם | ʾadam | a person | H120 → | 551 times |
| יָשִׁ֥יב | yashuv | he will repay | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| לֽוֹ׃ | lo | to him |
מִפְּרִ֣יfrom [the] fruit of
miperiH6529 →119 times
פִי־[the] mouth of
fi-H6310 →498 times
אִ֭ישׁa person
ʾishH376 →1663 times
יִשְׂבַּע־he will be satisfied
yisba'-H7646 →97 times
ט֑וֹבgood thing[s]
tovH2896 →538 times
וּגְמ֥וּלand [the] dealing of
ugemulH1576 →
יְדֵי־[the] hands of
yedei-H3027 →1618 times
אָ֝דָ֗םa person
ʾadamH120 →551 times
יָשִׁ֥יבhe will repay
yashuvH7725 →1056 times
לֽוֹ׃to him
lo
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 15:23A man takes joy in a fitting reply—and how good is a timely word!
it leads to
- Isaiah 50:4
The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of discipleship, to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
- Proverbs 25:11–12
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 16:13
Righteous lips are a king’s delight, and he who speaks honestly is beloved.
- Isaiah 50:4
Through
Proverbs 13:2From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the desire of the faithless is violence.
it leads to
- Proverbs 18:20
From the fruit of his mouth a man’s belly is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
- Proverbs 18:20
Through
Psalms 63:5My soul is satisfied as with the richest of foods; with joyful lips my mouth will praise You.
it leads to
- Psalms 36:7–9
How precious is Your loving devotion, O God, that the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings!
- Isaiah 25:6
On this mountain the LORD of Hosts will prepare a banquet for all the peoples, a feast of aged wine, of choice meat, of finely aged wine.
- Psalms 17:15
As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.
- Psalms 36:7–9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Proverbs
This page draws on Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.