Mishle 10:8

8 The chacham lev will receive mitzvot, but one with foolish sfatayim (lips) shall be thrust down.

Mishle 10:8 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 10:8

The wise in heart will receive commandments
Such who have true wisdom in the hidden part of the heart, of which the fear of the Lord is the beginning: these will not only, as good subjects, honour their king, and attend to his lawful commands; and, as dutiful children, regard those of their parents; and, as faithful servants, hearken to those of their masters; but, as such that fear the Lord, will receive and cheerfully obey the commandments of God and Christ;

but a prating fool shall fall;
like Diotrephes, that prated against the Apostle John and other saints. Or, "a fool of lips" F2; whose folly is proclaimed and made known by his lips; who, out of the abundance of it in his heart, speaks and pours it out by his lips: such an one falls into sin and into mischief; he falls into disgrace in this world, and into hell in the next. The Targum is,

``the fool by his lips shall be taken;''

as in a snare.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 (Mytpv lywa) "stultus labiis", Montanus

Mishle 10:8 In-Context

6 Brakhot are upon the head of the tzaddik, but chamas covereth the peh (mouth) of the resha’im.
7 The memory of the tzaddik is as bracha, but the shem resha’im shall rot.
8 The chacham lev will receive mitzvot, but one with foolish sfatayim (lips) shall be thrust down.
9 He that walketh uprightly walketh securely, but he that perverteth his drakhim shall be known.
10 He that winketh with the ayin causeth trouble, but one with foolish sfatayim shall come to ruin.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.