Proverbs 26:23

23 Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are smooth lips with an evil heart.

Proverbs 26:23 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 26:23

Burning lips, and a wicked heart
Either burning with wrath and malice; breathing out threatenings and slaughter; pursuing men with reproaches and slanders, arising from a wicked heart: or rather, burning with profession of love to God, and affection to good men; with great pretensions of kindness, and promises of good things, when their hearts are wicked, and they design noticing less; say one thing with their lips, with the greatest show of affection and sincerity, and mean another in their hearts. These [are like] a potsherd covered with silver dross:
which at a distance, or to less discerning persons, looks like silver, and is taken for it; when the covering is only dross, and what is within is only a potsherd, Or a piece of an earthen vessel, good for nothing: such are the specious professions and deceitful words, which flow from a wicked heart.

Proverbs 26:23 In-Context

21 As charcoal is to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23 Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are smooth lips with an evil heart.

24 An enemy dissembles in speaking while harboring deceit within;

25 when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it, for there are seven abominations concealed within;

Footnotes

• [a]. Cn: Heb [silver of dross]
• [b]. Gk: Heb [burning]