Proverbs 10:19

New English Translation

¹⁹When words abound, transgression is inevitable,^[a]
but the one who restrains^[b] his words^[c] is wise.

Proverbs 10:19 tn Heb “does not cease.” It is impossible to avoid sinning in an abundance of words—sooner or later one is bound to say something wrong.
Proverbs 10:19 tn Or “holds his lips under control.” The verb חָשַׂךְ (khasakh) means “to withhold; to restrain; to hold in check” (BDB 362 s.v.). The related Arabic term is used in reference to placing a piece of wood in the mouth of a goat to prevent it from sucking (HALOT 359 s.v. חשׂךְ).
Proverbs 10:19 tn Heb “his lips” (so KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “his tongue.” The term “lips” is a metonymy of cause for speech.

Proverbs 10:19

English Standard Version

¹⁹^(A)When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
^(B)but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

²³The one who guards his mouth and his tongue^[a]
keeps his life^[b] from troubles.^[c]

Proverbs 21:23 sn “Mouth” and “tongue” are metonymies of cause, signifying what one says (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV).
Proverbs 21:23 tn This part could also be translated “keeps himself” (so NIV), for נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) often simply means “the whole person.” The participle שֹׁמֵר (shomer) is repeated from the first line in the parallelism—to guard what is said is to guard against difficulty.
Proverbs 21:23 sn The “troubles” (צָרוֹת, tsarot) here could refer to social and legal difficulties into which careless talk might bring someone (e.g., 13:3; 18:21). The word means “a strait, a bind, difficulty.” Careless and free talking could get the person into a tight spot.

²³^(A)Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
^(B)keeps himself out of ^(C)trouble.

New English Translation (NET)

English Standard Version (ESV)