Proverbs 10:20

Chosen silver is the tongue of a just man; the heart of wicked men is for nought. (Choice silver is like the tongue of a righteous person; but the hearts of the wicked be worth nothing.)

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

In The King James Version

The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

In Context

19Sin shall not fail in much speaking; but he that measureth his lips, is most prudent. (Sin shall abound with much speaking; but he who ruleth his lips, is most prudent.)

21The lips of a just man teach full many men; but they that be unlearned shall die in neediness of heart. (The lips of the righteous teach a great many people; but they who be ignorant, shall die without any understanding.)

Read all of Proverbs 10

Cross References

Genesis 8:21And the Lord savoured the odour of sweetness, and said to him (self), I shall no more curse the earth for men, for (I know that) the wit and thought of man’s heart be ready, either prone, into evil from (a) young waxing age; therefore I shall no more smite each living soul, as I did; (And the Lord savoured the aroma of sweetness, and said to himself, I shall no more curse the earth for man’s sake, for I know that the wit and the thought of man’s heart be prone toward evil from a young age; and so I shall no more strike down each living soul, as I have done;)

Proverbs 8:19My fruit is better than gold, and precious stone (s); and my seeds [or burgeonings] be better than chosen silver (or and my recompense is better than choice silver).

Proverbs 15:4A pleasant tongue is the tree of life; but the tongue that is unmeasurable [or untempered], shall defoul the spirit.

Proverbs 20:15Gold, and the multitude of gems, and a precious vessel, be the lips of knowing (or be the value of words of knowledge, or of wise words).

Proverbs 25:11(As) A golden pommel in beds of silver is he, that speaketh a word in his time. (Like a golden apple in beds of silver, is a word spoken at its proper time.)

Matthew 12:34Ye generation of adders, how may ye speak good things, when ye be evil? (or Ye children of snakes, how can ye say anything good, when ye yourselves be evil?) For the mouth speaketh (out) of the plenty [or (out) of the great abundance] of the heart.

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 10:20

19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. We are here admonished concerning the government of the tongue, that necessary duty of a Christian. 1. It is good to say little, because in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin, or sin doth not cease. Usually, those that speak much speak much amiss, and among many words there cannot but be many idle words, which they must shortly give an account of. Those that love to hear themselves talk do not consider what work… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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