Proverbs 10:11

11 The speech of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the speech of the wicked is a cover for violence.

Proverbs 10:11 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 10:11

The mouth of a righteous [man is] a well of life
Like a fountain of living water, continually running and flowing with water, wholesome, reviving, and refreshing; so the righteous man's mouth, out of the abundance of his heart, overflows with good things, which minister grace to the hearers, and are for the use of edifying; things that are pleasant and profitable, grateful and acceptable, comforting, refreshing, and pleasing, and which tend to the good of the life that now is, and that which is to come; but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked;
so that nothing comes out of it but what is pernicious and hurtful; what savours of rapine and violence; nothing but lying and deceit, cursing and swearing, and such like filthy and corrupt communication; (See Gill on Proverbs 10:6). The Targum is, "the mouth of the ungodly covers injury"; which is meditated in the heart; so the Vulgate Latin version.

Proverbs 10:11 In-Context

9 He who walks purely walks securely, but he who walks in crooked ways will be found out.
10 He who winks his eye [instead of rebuking] causes pain, yet a babbling fool will have trouble.
11 The speech of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the speech of the wicked is a cover for violence.
12 Hate stirs up disputes, but love covers all kinds of transgressions.
13 On the lips of the intelligent is found wisdom, but a stick is in store for the back of a fool.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.