Proverbs 10:20
WEB
The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver. The heart of the wicked is of little worth.
BSB
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked has little worth.
KJV
The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H3701
n-m — silver, pale, money
Derivation: from 3700;
silver (from its pale color); by implication, money
KJV: money, price, silver(-ling).
n.m — silver
כֶּ֫סֶף 402 n.m. silver, money
1. = silver ore, raw silver
2. silver as bright, shining
3. silver, as wealth
4. silver as spoil of war
5. silver as merchandise
6. silver as costly gift
7. silver as material
8. silver as measure of weight and value
9. among vbs. and phr.
H977
v — try, select
Derivation: a primitive root;
properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select
KJV: acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require.
vb — choose
בָּחַר vb. choose
Qal
1. with בְּ,
a. divine choice
b. man’s choice
2. with אֲשֶׁר:
a. divine choice
b. man’s choice
3. with acc. & לְ, choose some one or something for
4. with acc. and מִן, choose, select from
5. acc.
a. divine choice
b. man’s choice
6. with עַל, for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction
7. with לְ of acc. chosen
8. test, try
Niph. to be chosen
Pu. chosen, selected
H3956
n-m — tongue
Derivation: or לָשֹׁן; also (in plural) feminine לְשֹׁנָה; from 3960;
the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water)
KJV: babbler, bay, evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge.
n.m — tongue
לָשׁוֹן n.m. and (more oft.) f. tongue
1. tongue of men
2. = language
3. tongue of animals
4. tongue of fire
5. = (tongue-shaped) wedge of gold
6. = (tongue-shaped) bay of sea
H6662
a — just
Derivation: from 6663;
just
KJV: just, lawful, righteous (man).
adj — just
צַדִּיק 206 adj. just, righteous
H3820
n-m — heart, feelings, will, intellect, centre
Derivation: a form of 3824;
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
KJV: care for, comfortably, consent, × considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), × heed, × I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), × regard(-ed), × themselves, × unawares, understanding, × well, willingly, wisdom.
n.m — inner man
לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart
I. seldom of things in the midst of the sea
II. elsewhere of men
1. the inner man in contrast with the outer
2. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
3. specific reference to mind
4. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will
5. spec. ref. to conscience
6. [various]
7. for the man himself
8. as seat of appetites
9. as seat of emotions and passions
10. seat of courage
H7563
a — wrong, bad
Derivation: from 7561;
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
KJV: condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong.
adj — wicked
רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal
H4592
n-m — little, few
Derivation: or מְעָט; from 4591;
a little or few (often adverbial or comparative)
KJV: almost (some, very) few(-er, -est), lightly, little (while), (very) small (matter, thing), some, soon, × very.
subst — a little
מְעַט 101 subst. a little, fewness, a few
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Verses 20–21
Proverbs 10:20–21
We are here taught how to value men, not by their wealth and preferment in the world, but by their virtue.
I. Good men are good for something. Though they may be poor and low in the world, and may not have power and riches to do good with, yet, as long as they have a mouth to speak, that will make them valuable and useful, and upon that account we must honour those that fear the Lord, because out of the good treasure of their heart they bring forth good things. 1. This makes them valuable: The tongue of the just is as choice silver; they are sincere, freed from the dross of guile and evil design. God's words are compared to silver purified (Psa 12:6), for they may be relied on; and such are the words of just men. They are of weight and worth, and will enrich those that hear them with wisdom, which is better than choice silver. 2. It makes them useful: The lips of the righteous feed many; for they are full of the word of God, which is the bread of life, and that sound doctrine wherewith souls are nourished up. Pious discourse is spiritual food to the needy, to the hungry.
II. Bad men are good for nothing. 1. One can get no good by them: The heart of the wicked is little worth, and therefore that which comes out of the abundance of his heart cannot be worth much. His principles, his notions, his thoughts, his purposes, and all the things that fill him, and affect him, are worldly and carnal, and therefore of no value. He that is of the earth speaks of the earth, and neither understands nor relishes the things of God, Joh 3:31; Co1 2:14. The wicked man pretends that, though he does not talk of religion as the just do, yet he has it within him, and thanks God that his heart is good; but he that searches the heart here says the contrary: It is nothing worth. 2. One can do no good to them. While many are fed by the lips of the righteous, fools die for want of wisdom; and fools indeed they are to die for want of that which they might so easily come by. Fools die for want of a heart (so the word is); they perish for want of consideration and resolution; they have no heart to do any thing for their own good. While the righteous feed others fools starve themselves.
Cross-references: Ps 12:6 · John 3:31 · 1Cor 2:14