God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 18:7
7A fool’s mouth is his ruin. His lips are a trap to his soul.
Proverbs 18:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
- New International Version (NIV)The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
- English Standard Version (ESV)A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
- New King James Version (NKJV)A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
Context of Proverbs 18:7
5It is not good to be partial toward a wicked person, thereby depriving an innocent person of justice. 6By talking, a fool gets into an argument, and his mouth invites a beating. A fool’s mouth is his ruin. His lips are a trap to his soul. 8The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily, and they go down into a person’s innermost being. 9Whoever is lazy in his work is related to a vandal.
Read all of Proverbs 18Proverbs 18:7 word by word
פִּֽי־כְ֭סִיל מְחִתָּה־ל֑וֹ וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו מוֹקֵ֥שׁ נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 18:7
- Proverbs 10:8The one who is truly wise accepts commands, but the one who talks foolishly will be thrown down headfirst.
- Proverbs 12:13An evil person is trapped by his own sinful talk, but a righteous person escapes from trouble.
- Proverbs 13:3Whoever controls his mouth protects his own life. Whoever has a big mouth comes to ruin.
- Ecclesiastes 10:11If a snake bites before it has been charmed, then there is no advantage in being a snake charmer.
- Proverbs 6:2you are trapped by the words of your own mouth, caught by your own promise.
- Judges 11:35When he saw her, he tore his clothes in grief and said, “Oh no, Daughter! You’ve brought me to my knees! What disaster you’ve brought me! I made a foolish promise to the Lord. Now I can’t break it.”
- 1 Samuel 14:24Israel’s soldiers were driven hard that day. Saul made the troops swear, “Cursed is anyone who eats food before the evening comes and before I’ve gotten revenge on my enemies.” So none of his troops tasted any food.
- Mark 5:23He begged Jesus, “My little daughter is dying. Come, lay your hands on her so that she may get well and live.”
- Acts 23:14They went to the chief priests and leaders ⌞of the people⌟ and said, “We’ve asked God to curse us if we taste any food before we’ve killed Paul.
Commentaries on Proverbs 18:7
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6-8Verses 6-8 The first verse speaks of the immediate, the others of the remote, results of the “fool‘s” temper. First, “contention,” then “strokes” or blows, then “destruction,” and last, “wounds.” Proverbs 18:8 Wounds - The word so rendered occurs here and in Proverbs 26:22 only. Others render it “dainties,” and take the verse to describe the avidity with which people swallow in tales of scandal. They find their way to the innermost recesses of man‘s…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-7Verses 6-7 What mischief bad men do to themselves by their ungoverned tongues!Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-76-7. The quarrelsome bring trouble on themselves. Their rash language ensnares them (Pr 6:2).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 18:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 18
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries