Darby Bible
Proverbs 10:20
20The tongue of the righteous [man] is [as] choice silver; the heart of the wicked is little worth.
Proverbs 10:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
- New International Version (NIV)The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little.
Context of Proverbs 10:20
18He that covereth hatred hath lying lips, and he that sendeth forth a slander is a fool. 19In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; but he that restraineth his lips doeth wisely. The tongue of the righteous [man] is [as] choice silver; the heart of the wicked is little worth. 21The lips of a righteous [man] feed many; but fools die for want of understanding. 22The blessing of Jehovah, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow to it.
Read all of Proverbs 10Proverbs 10:20 word by word
כֶּ֣סֶף נִ֭בְחָר לְשׁ֣וֹן צַדִּ֑יק לֵ֖ב רְשָׁעִ֣ים כִּמְעָֽט׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Proverbs 10:20
- Proverbs 12:18There is that babbleth like the piercings of a sword; but the tongue of the wise is health.
- Proverbs 15:4Gentleness of tongue is a tree of life; but crookedness therein is a breaking of the spirit.
- Proverbs 16:13Righteous lips are the delight of kings, and they love him that speaketh aright.
- Proverbs 25:11[As] apples of gold in pictures of silver, is a word spoken in season.
- Matthew 12:35The good man out of the good treasure brings forth good things; and the wicked man out of the wicked treasure brings forth wicked things.
- Proverbs 23:7For as he thinketh in his soul, so is he. Eat and drink! will he say unto thee; but his heart is not with thee.
- Genesis 6:5And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of Man was great on the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil continually.
- Genesis 8:21And Jehovah smelled the sweet odour. And Jehovah said in his heart, I will no more henceforth curse the ground on account of Man, for the thought of Man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will no more smite every living thing, as I have done.
- Jeremiah 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and incurable; who can know it?
- Matthew 12:34Offspring of vipers! how can ye speak good things, being wicked? For of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Commentaries on Proverbs 10:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20The heart of the wicked is little worth - כמעט kimat, is like little or nothing; or is like dross, while the tongue of the just is like silver. A sinner's heart is worth nothing, and is good for nothing; and yet because it is his most hidden part, he vaunts of its honesty, goodness, etc.! Yes, yes; it is very honest and good, only the devil is in it! that is all.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The tongue, the instrument of the mind is contrasted with the heart or mind itself, the just with the wicked, the choice silver with the worthless “little,” the Hebrew word being possibly taken in its primary sense as a “filing” or “scraping” of dross or worthless metal. If the tongue is precious, how much more the mind! If the heart is worthless, how much more the speech!Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-21Verses 20-21 The tongue of the just is sincere, freed from the dross of guile and evil design. Pious discourse is spiritual food to the needy. Fools die for want of a heart, so the word is; for want of thought.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Words express what is in the heart.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Right speech is the fruit of a good heart, but the wicked show theirs to be useless.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 10:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries