English Standard Version
Proverbs 6:12
12A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech,
Proverbs 6:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
- New International Version (NIV)A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
- New King James Version (NKJV)A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth;
- New Living Translation (NLT)What are worthless and wicked people like? They are constant liars,
Context of Proverbs 6:12
10A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 11and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, 13winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, 14with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord;
Read all of Proverbs 6Proverbs 6:12 word by word
אָדָ֣ם בְּ֭לִיַּעַל אִ֣ישׁ אָ֑וֶן ה֝וֹלֵ֗ךְ עִקְּשׁ֥וּת פֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 6:12
- Proverbs 11:6The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.
- Proverbs 17:4An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
- 1 Samuel 17:28Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle."
- Jeremiah 24:2One basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs, but the other basket had very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten.
- James 1:21Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
- Proverbs 6:14with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord;
- Proverbs 2:12delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech,
- Proverbs 4:24Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.
- Proverbs 8:13The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
- Psalms 10:3For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.
- Psalms 36:3The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
- Psalms 52:2Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
- Psalms 59:7There they are, bellowing with their mouths with swords in their lips— for "Who," they think, "will hear us?"
- Psalms 73:8They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.
- 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.
- Acts 20:30and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Commentaries on Proverbs 6:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12A naughty person - בליעל אדם adam beliyal, "Adam good for nothing." When he lost his innocence. A man apostata; Old MS. Bible. A wicked man - און איש ish aven . He soon became a general transgressor after having departed from his God. All his posterity, unless restored by Divine grace, are men of Belial, and sinners by trade; and most of them, in one form or other, answer the character here given. They yield their members instruments of unrighteousness…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12A naughty person - literally, “a man of Belial,” i. e., a worthless man (see the Deuteronomy 13:13 note). This is the portrait of the man who is not to be trusted, whose look and gestures warn against him all who can observe. His speech is tortuous and crafty; his wink tells the accomplice that the victim is already snared; his gestures with foot and hand are half in deceit, and half in mockery.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-19Verses 12-19 If the slothful are to be condemned, who do nothing, much more those that do all the ill they can. Observe how such a man is described. He says and does every thing artfully, and with design. His ruin shall come without warning, and without relief. Here is a list of things hateful to God. Those sins are in a special manner provoking to God, which are hurtful to the comfort of human life. These things which God hates, we must hate in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-15Eyes...feet...fingers...heart: These body parts describe a person's overall character, not just a single foolish act.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. A naughty person--literally, "A man of Belial," or of worthlessness, that is, for good, and so depraved, or wicked (compare 1Sa 25:25; 30:22, &c.). Idleness and vice are allied. Though indolent in acts, he actively and habitually (walketh) is ill-natured in speech (Pr 4:24).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 6:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 6
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries