Proverbs 13:3

Pro 13:3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: [but] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

Ver. 3. He that keepeth his mouth.] As the guard keepeth the gates in a siege. God hath set a double guard of lips and teeth before this gate, and yet, unless he himself set the watch, and keep the door, all will be lost. {Psa 141:3}

But he that openeth wide his lips.] As she did her feet, to "multiply her whoredoms." {Eze 16:25} Kεχηνοτες, gaping mouthed men are noted for fools by Lucian and Aristophanes. An open mouth is a purgatory to the master, say we. And cave ne feriat lingua tua collum tuum, {a} say the Arabians in their proverb, Take heed that thy tongue cut not thy throat.

{a} Scalig. Arab. Prov., cent. 1. pro 75.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13:3 Having control of the tongue demonstrates wisdom (see Jas 3:1-12).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Note, 1. A guard upon the lips is a guard to the soul. He that is cautious, that thinks twice before he speaks once, that, if he have thought evil, lays his hand upon his mouth to suppress it, that keeps a strong bridle on his tongue and a strict hand on that bridle, he keeps his soul from a great deal both of guilt and grief and saves himself the trouble of many bitter reflections on himself and reflections of others upon him. 2. There is many a one ruined by an ungoverned tongue: He that opens widely his lips, to let our quod in buccam venerit - whatever comes uppermost, that loves to bawl, and bluster, and make a noise, and affects such a liberty of speech as bids defiance both to God and man, he shall have destruction. it will be the destruction of his reputation, his interest, his comfort, and his soul for ever, Jam 3:6.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He . . . mouth . . . life--because evil speeches may provoke violence from others.

he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction--On last clause, compare Pro 10:14.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 3. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life] How often have the foolish, headstrong, and wicked, forfeited their lives by the treasonable or blasphemous words they have spoken! The government of the tongue is a rare but useful talent.

But he that openeth wide his lips] He that puts no bounds to his loquacity, speaks on every subject, and gives his judgment and opinion on every matter. It has often been remarked that God has, given us two EYES, that we may SEE much; two EARS, that we may HEAR much; but has given us but ONE tongue, and that fenced in with teeth, to indicate that though we hear and see much, we should speak but little.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(3) He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life.—Comp. above, on Pro_4:23; Pro_12:13.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. keepeth … keepeth] Rather, guardeth … keepeth, R.V., the Heb. words being different. For the sentiment comp. Pro_10:19.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life,.... He that keeps his mouth shut keeps it as with a bridle; keeps it from speaking things of other persons, particularly of such as are in high places, of kings and princes, and civil magistrates: he keeps himself quiet and comfortable; keeps himself from many troubles, which otherwise he would come into; keeps his life from danger, to which it would be exposed, should he speak evil of dignities, or give himself the freedom, as some do, whereby they are brought to an untimely end; see Pro 18:21; besides, persons ought to be careful of their words, since by them a man will either be justified or condemned hereafter, Mat 12:37;

but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction; or "consternation" (x): he that is rash and inconsiderate, hasty with his lips, a talkative man; that speaks freely everything that comes into his mind, regardless of the characters of men, or consequences of things; is often brought into frights and fears, through the menaces and threatenings of men in power, whose characters he has made too free with, and oftentimes is brought to ruin and destruction: so he, whose throat is as an open sepulchre, belching out filthy words, horrid oaths, curses, and imprecations, destruction is near him, even in all his ways; and the man of sin, that opens his mouth in blasphemy against God, and his tabernacle, and his saints, shall go into perdition, Rev 13:5.

(x) "consternatio", Mercerus, Cocceius, Michaelis; "terrebitur", Tigurine version.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Hath. Hebrew, "who openeth his lips inconsiderately, is lost, Judges xi. 35. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

He that keepeth his mouth, to wit, to the opening of it; who speaks sparingly, and with due care and caution;

keepeth his life; prevents many sins and mischiefs which others run into. He that openeth wide his lips, that takes liberty to speak every thing which pleaseth him, or cometh into his mind, shall have destruction, from God or men.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. He that keepeth (or watcheth) his mouth — Meaning himself. Comp. Jas_3:2 : “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” The latter clause of this proverb is very forcible:

He that openeth… destruction — To guard well against passionate or injurious words is often to preserve safety and life. Compare Pro_10:19; Pro_12:23; Psa_39:1.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He that keepeth (guardeth) his mouth keepeth his life (Pro_18:21 Pro_21:23; comp. Psa_39:1 Jam_1:26) Thus the gnome H glwssa pollou . "The tongue hath many to destruction led.

And Ecc 28:25, "Weigh thy words in a balance, and make a door and bar for thy mouth. Beware thou slide not by it, lest thou fall before him that lieth in wait." But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. (Pro_10:14) The Vulgate paraphrases, "He who is inconsiderate in speech shall experience evils;" Septuagint, "will terrify himself will occasion to himself many terrible alarms and inflictions. Hence the psalmist prays, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my month; keep the door of my lips." So we have in the Danish, "A silent man"s words are not brought into court;" and in the Spanish, "Let not the tongue say what the head shall pay for;" while the Italians tell us, "The sheep that bleats is strangled by the wolf:" and "Silence was never written down" (Kelly). (See on Pro_18:6 Pro_20:19)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3 He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his soul;

He that openeth his lips, to him it is destruction.

3a is extended in Pro 21:23 to a distich. Mouth and soul stand in closest interchangeable relation, for speech is the most immediate and continuous expression of the soul; thus whoever guards his mouth keeps his soul (the Venet., with excellent rendering of the synonym, ὁ τηρῶν τὸ στόμα ἑαυτοῦ φυλάσσει τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ), for he watches that no sinful vain thoughts rise up in his soul and come forth in words, and because he thus keeps his soul, i.e., himself, safe from the destructive consequences of the sins of the tongue. On the contrary, he who opens wide his lips, i.e., cannot hold his mouth (lxx ὁ δὲ προπετὴς χείλεσιν), but expresses unexamined and unconsidered whatever comes into his mind and gives delight, he is destruction to himself (supply הוּא), or to him it is destruction (supply זאת); both interpretations are possible, the parallelism brings nearer the former, and the parallel Pro 18:7 brings nearer the latter. פּשׂק means to spread (Schultens diducere cum ruptura vel ad rupturam usque), here the lips, Pih. Eze 16:25, the legs, Arab. fashkh, farshkh; vid., regarding the R. פש, to extend, to spread out, Fleischer in the supplements to the A. L. Z. 1843, col. 116. Regarding the Mishle word מחתּה, vid., under Pro 10:14.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

The last Proverb contrasted a fruitful and mischievous — this a cautious and ungoverned — tongue. "Keep thine heart." (Pro 4:23 .) This guards the citadel. Keep thy mouth. This sets a watch at the gates. If they be well guarded, the city is safe. Leave them unprotected — Thus was Babylon taken. ’He that looketh carefully to his tongue takes a safe course for preserving his life, which is oft in danger by much and wild talking.’†1 Think before we speak; ponder our words, their substance, manner, time, place, audience. The unruly member needs a strong bridle, and a strong hand to hold it. (Jas 3:2-3 .) Though it be necessary to open our lips; yet to open them wide; to let all come out; is a fearful hazard. (Pro 10:14 ; Pro 12:13 .) For if "in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin" (Pro 10:19 ), this evil must bring us within the jaws of destruction.

"Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; and keep the door of my lips" (Psa 141:3 ) — was the prayer of one, who knew the danger of an ungoverned tongue, and the only way to tame it. Shall we not call in God’s help, in the recollection, how often has our unguarded tongue "given place to the devil" (Eph 4:27 ), and "grieved the Holy Comforter"? (Eph 4:30 .) How much more matter do we make for repentance by our speaking than by our silence! Let the practical power of faith quicken watchfulness and prayer, self-abasement and self-discipline, godly fear and energy of conflict. Two things are clear. But for the blood of Christ, the mass of guilt from the sins of the tongue would have condemned us for ever; and in proportion as the "little member" is bridled, "the peace of God rules in the heart."

Footnotes:

†1 Bishop Hall, Pro 21:23 . Psa 34:12-13 .

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

v. 3. He that keepeth his mouth, that no evil, sinful speeches issue therefrom, keepeth his life; but he that openeth wide his lips, permitting the evil thoughts of his heart to issue in the form of malignant speeches, shall have destruction, bringing it upon himself as the inevitable consequence of his foolish or sinful indiscretion.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

his mouth

Here "mouth" represents what a person says. AT: "what he says" (See: Metonymy)

opens wide his lips

Opening the lips represents speaking, and opening them wide represents speaking too often or too much. AT: "speaks a lot" or "talks too much" (See: Metaphor)

The appetite ... the appetite

See how you translated this in Proverbs 13:2.

craves but gets nothing

"strongly desires but gets nothing"

the appetite of diligent people will be richly satisfied

Here "appetite" represents desire. AT: "diligent people will have a richly satisfied life" or "being diligent will make people richly satisfied" (See: Active or Passive)

diligent people

people who work with careful and continued effort

translationWords

life

ruin

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

one who opens his lips wide Heb. פשק, opens his lips to speak constantly all his desire, from (Ezek. 16:25): “And you spread wide (ותפשקי) your legs,” an expression of wideness.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.