Proverbs Project: Wise & Foolish Words

Proverbs related to the wise or foolish use of speech:

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Proverbs 10:6
Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

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Proverbs 10:10-11
10 Whoever winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

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Proverbs 10:13-14
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.
14 The wise store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

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Proverbs 10:18-21
18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips
and spreads slander is a fool.
19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
but the prudent hold their tongues.
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of sense.

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Proverbs 10:31-32
31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,
but a perverse tongue will be silenced.
32 The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,
but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.

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Proverbs 11:9
With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.

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Proverbs 11:11-13
11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
13 A gossip betrays a confidence,
but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

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Proverbs 12:6
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.

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Proverbs 12:13-14
13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,
and so the innocent escape trouble.
14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,
and the work of their hands brings them reward.

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Proverbs 12:18-19
18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

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Proverbs 12:23
23 The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,
but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.

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Proverbs 13:2-3
From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,
but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.
Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,
but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

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Proverbs 14:3
A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride,
but the lips of the wise protect them.

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Proverbs 14:7
Stay away from a fool,
for you will not find knowledge on their lips.

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Proverbs 15:1-2
1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

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Proverbs 15:4
The soothing tongue is a tree of life,
but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

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Proverbs 15:7
The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
but the hearts of fools are not upright.

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Proverbs 15:14
14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

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Proverbs 15:23
23 A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—
and how good is a timely word!

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Proverbs 15:28
28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,
but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

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Proverbs 16:10
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.

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Proverbs 16:13
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.

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Proverbs 16:21
21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
and gracious words promote instruction.

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Proverbs 16:23-24
23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,
and their lips promote instruction.
24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

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Proverbs 16:27-28
27 A scoundrel plots evil,
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.
28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.

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Proverbs 17:4
A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

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Proverbs 17:20
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.

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Proverbs 17:27-28
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.

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Proverbs 18:2
Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.

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Proverbs 18:4
The words of the mouth are deep waters,
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.

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Proverbs 18:6-8
The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.
The mouths of fools are their undoing,
and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.

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Proverbs 18:13
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.

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Proverbs 18:20-21
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
21 The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

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Proverbs 19:1
1 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.

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Proverbs 20:15
15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

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Proverbs 20:19
19 A gossip betrays a confidence;
so avoid anyone who talks too much.

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Proverbs 21:23
23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues
keep themselves from calamity.

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Proverbs 22:12
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

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Proverbs 22:14
14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;
a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.

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Proverbs 22:17-21
17 Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?

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Proverbs 24:1-2
1 Do not envy the wicked,
do not desire their company;
for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making trouble.

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Proverbs 24:7
Wisdom is too high for fools;
in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.

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Proverbs 24:26
26 An honest answer
is like a kiss on the lips.

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Proverbs 24:28
28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause—
would you use your lips to mislead?

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Proverbs 25:15
15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

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Proverbs 25:23
23 Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.

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Proverbs 25:25
25 Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.

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Proverbs 26:2
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

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Proverbs 26:4-5
Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be just like him.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.

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Proverbs 26:20
20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without a gossip a quarrel dies down.

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Proverbs 26:22-26
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.
23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,
but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
25 Though their speech is charming, do not believe them,
for seven abominations fill their hearts.
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

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Proverbs 26:28
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.

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Proverbs 27:2
Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
an outsider, and not your own lips.

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Proverbs 28:23
23 Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
rather than one who has a flattering tongue.

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Proverbs 29:20
20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.

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Proverbs 30:10
10 “Do not slander a servant to their master,
or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.

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Proverbs 30:32
32 “If you play the fool and exalt yourself,
or if you plan evil,
clap your hand over your mouth!

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Proverbs 31:26 [WIFE OF NOBLE CHARACTER]
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

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The above post is part of an ongoing Overflow series known as The Proverbs Project.
Download this list of scriptures in pdf form here.
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2 thoughts on “Proverbs Project: Wise & Foolish Words

  1. […] Proverbs Project: Wise & Foolish Words | The Overflow […]

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