Proverbs 10:18-28

18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.

19 ¹When words are many, transgression is not lacking, ²but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

20 The tongue of the righteous is ³choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth.

21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for ⁴lack of sense.

22 ⁵The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. ^[a]

23 Doing wrong is ⁶like a joke to a fool, but ⁷wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

24 ⁸What the wicked dreads ⁹will come upon him, but ¹⁰the desire of the righteous will be granted.

25 When ¹¹the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but ¹²the righteous is established forever.

26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

27 ¹³The fear of the Lord prolongs life, ¹⁴but the years of the wicked will be short.

28 ¹⁵The hope of the righteous brings joy, ¹⁶but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

Proverbs 10:18-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 10

From this chapter to the "twenty fifth" are various proverbial sentences, without any very apparent connection or coherence with each other; describing righteous and wicked men; setting forth their different temper, conduct, and actions, and the fruits and effects of them. It should be observed, that frequently in the preceding chapters two persons are represented as women; one goes by the name of "Wisdom", the other is called the "foolish" woman and a "harlot"; the former is clearly to be understood of Christ; and the latter, being opposed to him, must be antichrist, the whore of Rome, and mother of harlots: now in the following part of this book two sorts of persons are spoken of; the one as wise, righteous, good and the other as foolish, wicked, &c. who are no other than the followers of Christ and antichrist; which observation is a key to the whole book.

Cross References

• 1. 10:19 [Matt. 12:36, 37]
• 2. 10:19 ch. 17:27; [James 3:2]
• 3. 10:20 ch. 8:19; 16:16
• 4. 10:21 [Hos. 4:6]
• 5. 10:22 [Gen. 24:35; 26:12; Deut. 8:18]
• 6. 10:23 ch. 2:14; 15:21
• 7. 10:23 [ch. 8:30]
• 8. 10:24 Isa. 66:4; Heb. 10:27; [Job 15:21]
• 9. 10:24 Job 3:25
• 10. 10:24 Ps. 145:19; Matt. 5:6; 1 John 5:14, 15
• 11. 10:25 [Job 21:18; Ps. 58:9]; See Matt. 7:26, 27
• 12. 10:25 ch. 12:3; Ps. 15:5; [Matt. 7:24, 25]
• 13. 10:27 See ch. 3:2
• 14. 10:27 See Job 15:32, 33
• 15. 10:28 [Luke 21:28]
• 16. 10:28 See Job 8:13

Footnotes

• [a] 10:22 Or 'and toil adds nothing to it'