Proverbs 12:23
A fell man covereth knowing; and the heart of unwise men stirreth folly. (A clever person concealeth his knowledge; but the unwise tell out their foolishness.)
Wycliffe Modern Spelling
In The King James Version
A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.
In Context
22False lips is abomination to the Lord; but they that do faithfully, please him.
Cross References
1 Samuel 10:16And Saul said to his uncle, Samuel showed to us, that the she-asses were found. But he showed not to his uncle of the word of the realm, that Samuel spake to him. (And Saul said to his uncle, Samuel told us that the female donkeys were found. But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said to him about the kingdom or about becoming king.)
Nehemiah 2:16Forsooth the magistrates knew not, whither I had gone, either what I would do; but also I had not showed anything to the Jews, and [the] priests, and to the best men, and [the] magistrates, and to [the] other men that made the work, till that time. (But the magistrates did not know where I had gone, or what I planned to do; and also I had not told anything to the Jews, or the priests, or the leaders, or the magistrates, or the other men who would do the work, up to that time.)
Proverbs 10:19Sin 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.)
Proverbs 13:16A fell man doeth all things with counsel; but he that is a fool, shall open folly. (A clever person doeth everything with forethought, or only after advice; but he who is a fool, shall lay open his foolishness for all to see.)
Proverbs 15:2The tongue of wise men honoureth knowing (or The speaking of the wise honoureth knowledge); the mouth of fools boileth out folly.
Ecclesiastes 10:3But also a fool going in the way, when he is unwise, guesseth all men fools. (And a fool, going on the way, since he is unwise, thinketh that all the other people be fools.)
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 12:23
22 Lying lips are abomination to the Lord : but they that deal truly are his delight. We are here taught, 1. To hate lying, and to keep at the utmost distance from it, because it is an abomination to the Lord, and renders those abominable in his sight that allow themselves in it, not only because it is a breach of his law, but because it is destructive to human society. 2. To make conscience of truth, not only in our words, but in all our actions, because those that deal truly and sincerely in all their dealings… Read the whole commentary →