11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,(A)
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(B)

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11 A fountain of life is a mouth of righteousness,
    and a mouth of wickedness conceals violence.

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The tongue that heals is a tree of life,(A)
but a devious tongue[a] breaks the spirit.

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Footnotes

  1. 15:4 Lit but crookedness in it

Gentleness[a] of tongue is a tree of life,
    but perverseness in it[b] causes a break in spirit.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:4 Or “Healing”
  2. Proverbs 15:4 That is, the tongue

23 A person takes joy in giving an answer;[a]
and a timely word—how good that is!(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 15:23 Lit in an answer of his mouth

23 Joy belongs to a man with answers in his mouth,
    and a word in its time, how good it is!

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23 The heart of a wise person instructs his mouth;
it adds learning to his speech.[a](A)

24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb:(B)
sweet to the taste[b] and health to the body.[c](C)

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Footnotes

  1. 16:23 Lit learning upon his lips
  2. 16:24 Lit throat
  3. 16:24 Lit bones

23 The heart[a] of the wise will make his mouth judicious,
    and upon his lips, it[b] will add persuasiveness.
24 Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and healing to the bones.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:23 Or “mind”
  2. Proverbs 16:23 Or “he”

The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters,(A)
a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 18:4 Or waters; a fountain of wisdom is a flowing river

Deep waters are words of the mouth of a man;
    a gushing stream is a fountain of wisdom.

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21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.(A)

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21 Death and life are in the power[a] of the tongue,
    and those who love her[b] will eat of her fruit.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:21 Literally “hand”
  2. Proverbs 18:21 That is, the power of the tongue

23 Smooth[a] lips with an evil heart
are like glaze on an earthen vessel.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 26:23 LXX; MT reads Burning

23 Like impure silver[a] which overlays an earthen vessel,
    so are smooth lips and an evil heart[b].

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:23 Literally “silver of impurities”
  2. Proverbs 26:23 Or “mind”