Saying The Wise Thing

Wise and Foolish Talk

How to speak wisely

Proverbs 16:23 NASB95

23 The heart of the wise instructs his mouth And adds persuasiveness to his lips.

Comparison

Proverbs 19:1 NASB95

1 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

The Product of Wise Speech

inspiration

Proverbs 15:2 NASB95

2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly.

Acceptable = pleasing

spouts = pours, some translate it “belches out folly” no redeeming value to what they have to say and you can’t turn off the spigot.

Proverbs 15:7 NASB95

7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge, But the hearts of fools are not so.

Protection

Proverbs 14:3 NASB95

3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back, But the lips of the wise will protect them.

Sexual harassment

Governor Andrew Cuomo is the latest of those who said inappropriate things and felt the consequences.

Proverbs 18:6–7 NASB95

6 A fool’s lips bring strife, And his mouth calls for blows. 7 A fool’s mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

Proverbs 23:15–16 NASB95

15 My son, if your heart is wise, My own heart also will be glad; 16 And my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak what is right.

Here wise speech makes his or her teacher glad.

Holy Talk

Holy Speech is Valuable

Proverbs 10:20–21 NASB95

20 The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little. 21 The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding.

Holy Speech Is Clean

Proverbs 10:31–32 NASB95

31 The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom, But the perverted tongue will be cut out. 32 The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted.

Holy Speech is A Blessing

Proverbs 11:11 NASB95

11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

Holy Speech Has Consequences

Proverbs 12:13–14 NASB95

13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble. 14 A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.

Proverbs 13:2 NASB95

2 From the fruit of a man’s mouth he enjoys good, But the desire of the treacherous is violence.

Holy Speech Is Thoughtful

Proverbs 15:28 NASB95

28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

Holy Speakers Listen to Holy Speech

Proverbs 17:4 NASB95

4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips; A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.