Proverbs 10:8

8 The wise of heart will heed commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

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.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 (Mytpv lywa) "stultus labiis", Montanus

Proverbs 10:8 In-Context

6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
8 The wise of heart will heed commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out.
10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, but the one who rebukes boldly makes peace.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.