The fool's talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.
KJV
In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
Commentary
Commentary
In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride,.... A proud tongue, or a tongue speaking proud and haughty things; with which foolish or wicked men smite others and wound and hurt their reputation and credit, and in the issue hurt themselves also; their tongue is not only a rod to others, but a scourge to themselves, or is the cause of evil coming upon them; such was the tongue of Pharaoh, as Jarchi on the place observes,
Exo 5:2
; and of those the psalmist speaks of,
Psa 73:9
; and particularly of antichrist, whose mouth is opened in blasphemies against God, and his tabernacle, and his saints,
Rev 13:5
;
but the lips of the wise shall preserve them; from speaking such proud and haughty things against God and men; or from being hurt by the tongues of men or their own; yea, what coaxes out of their mouth is confounding and destructive to their enemies,
Rev 11:5
.
Commentary
Commentary