Proverbs about Speech
illustration of two people, one speaking and one listening with a scrambled tangled tether
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The Bible’s Book of Proverbs brims with wisdom about speech and its impact; here is a mere sampling:
PROVERBS ABOUT SPEECH
  • The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. (Prov. 15:2, NKJV)
  • The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips. (Prov. 16:23, NKJV)
  • 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. (Prov. 18:6-7, NIV)
RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED SPEECH
  • Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed. (Prov. 11:11, NIV)
  • Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, and so the innocent escape trouble. From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward. (Prov. 12:13-14, NIV)
  • The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. (Prov. 15:28, NASB)
  • A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. (Prov. 17:4, NIV)
APPROPRIATE SPEECH
  • A man has joy in making an apt answer, and a word spoken at the right moment—how good it is! (Prov. 15:23, AMP)
  • Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Prov. 16:24, NIV)
  • Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances. (Prov. 25:11, NASB)
  • He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him. (Prov. 27:14, NKJV)
KEEPING SILENT
  • In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. (Prov. 10:19, NKJV)
  • The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves, but a fool’s heart blurts out folly. (Prov. 12:23, NIV)
  • The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. (Prov. 13:3, NASB)
  • Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. (Prov. 17:28, NIV)
CONTROLLED SPEECH
  • A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Prov. 15:1, NIV)
  • The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. (Prov. 17:28, NIV)
  • Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone. (Prov. 25:15, NIV)
FLATTERING SPEECH
  • A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin. (Prov. 26:28, NKJV)
  • Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue. (Prov. 28:23, NIV)
  • A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his own feet. (Prov. 29:5, AMP)
SLANDER AND GOSSIP
  • Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool. (Prov. 10:18, NIV)
  • A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. (Prov. 16:28, NIV)
  • He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends. (Prov. 17:9, AMP)
  • The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. (Prov. 18:8, NIV)
HURTFUL SPEECH
  • He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent. (Prov. 11:12, NASB)
  • The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Prov. 12:18, NIV)
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