Proverbs 26:23
Smooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.
Bible in Basic English
In The King James Version
Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
In Context
24With his lips the hater makes things seem what they are not, but deceit is stored up inside him;
Cross References
Proverbs 10:18Hate is covered up by the lips of the upright man, but he who lets out evil about another is foolish.
Proverbs 25:4Take away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker.
Ezekiel 33:31And they come to you as my people come, and are seated before you as my people, hearing your words but doing them not: for deceit is in their mouth and their heart goes after profit for themselves.
Luke 11:39And the Lord said to him, You Pharisees make the outside of the cup and the plate clean; but inside you are thieves and full of evil.
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 26:21-23
20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. 21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. 22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Contention is as a fire; it heats the spirit, burns up all that is good, and puts families and societies into a flame. Now here we are told how that fire is commonly kindled and kept burning, that we may avoid the occasions… Read the whole commentary →