English Standard Version
Proverbs 10:20
20The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless.
Context of Proverbs 10:20
18The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool. 19When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth. 21The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense. 22The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
Read all of Proverbs 10Proverbs 10:20 word by word
כֶּ֣סֶף נִ֭בְחָר לְשׁ֣וֹן צַדִּ֑יק לֵ֖ב רְשָׁעִ֣ים כִּמְעָֽט׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 10:20
- Proverbs 12:18There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
- Proverbs 15:4A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
- Proverbs 16:13Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.
- Proverbs 25:11A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
- Matthew 12:35The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
- Proverbs 23:7for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
- Genesis 6:5The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
- Genesis 8:21And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.
- Jeremiah 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
- Matthew 12:34You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries