Proverbs 10:8

8 The wise-hearted man will let himself be ruled, but the man whose talk is foolish will have a fall.

Proverbs 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (Mytpv lywa) "stultus labiis", Montanus

Proverbs 10:8 In-Context

6 Blessings are on the head of the upright, but the face of sinners will be covered with sorrow.

7 The memory of the upright is a blessing, but the name of the evil-doer will be turned to dust.

8 The wise-hearted man will let himself be ruled, but the man whose talk is foolish will have a fall.

9 He whose ways are upright will go safely, but he whose ways are twisted will be made low.

10 He who makes signs with his eyes is a cause of trouble, but he who makes a man see his errors is a cause of peace.