{"id":74,"date":"2011-05-29T21:26:13","date_gmt":"2011-05-29T20:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=74"},"modified":"2011-05-29T21:26:13","modified_gmt":"2011-05-29T20:26:13","slug":"proverbs-on-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=74","title":{"rendered":"Proverbs on Speech"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many people suffer from “foot in mouth disease” – every time I open my mouth I put my foot in it!
\nWe can use these verses from the book of Proverbs to reflect and medidate on how we speak.<\/p>\n

THE BLESSINGS OF WISE SPEECH
\n10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life
\n10:20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver
\n10:21 The lips of the righteous nourish many
\n13:2 From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things,
\n18:4 The words of a man\u2019s mouth are deep waters,
\nbut the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
\n18:20 From the fruit of his mouth a man\u2019s stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
\n20:15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
\nbut lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.
\n25:11 A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
\n16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
\n sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.<\/p>\n

TEACHING
\n16:21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
\nand pleasant words promote instruction.
\n16:23 A wise man\u2019s heart guides his mouth,
\nand his lips promote instruction.
\n15:7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
\nnot so the hearts of fools.<\/p>\n

HONESTY
\n12:17 A truthful witness gives honest testimony,
\nbut a false witness tells lies.
\n12:19 Truthful lips endure for ever,
\nbut a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
\n16:13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
\nthey value a man who speaks the truth.
\n14:25 A truthful witness saves lives,
\nbut a false witness is deceitful.
\n24:26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.<\/p>\n

ADVICE
\n12:15 The way of a fool seems right to him,
\nbut a wise man listens to advice.
\n11:14 For lack of guidance a nation falls,
\nbut many advisers make victory sure.
\n 15:22 Plans fail for lack of counsel,
\nbut with many advisers they succeed.<\/p>\n

KINDNESS AND GENTLENESS
\n1:25 An anxious heart weighs a man down,
\nbut a kind word cheers him up.
\n15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
\nbut a harsh word stirs up anger.
\n15:23 A man finds joy in giving an apt reply\u2014
\nand how good is a timely word!<\/p>\n

STAYING SILENT
\n11:12 A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbour,
\nbut a man of understanding holds his tongue.
\n13:3 He who guards his lips guards his life,
\nbut he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.
\n10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent,
\nbut he who holds his tongue is wise.
\n17:27 A man of knowledge uses words with restraint,
\nand a man of understanding is even-tempered.
\n17:28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
\nand discerning if he holds his tongue.
\n27:14 If a man loudly blesses his neighbour in the morning, it will be taken to be a curse!<\/p>\n

THE DANGERS OF FOOLISH TALK
\n12:13 An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk,
\nbut a righteous man escapes trouble.
\n12:18 Reckless words pierce like a sword,
\nbut the tongue of the wise brings healing.
\n15:2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
\nbut the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
\n10:8 The wise in heart accept commands,
\nbut a chattering fool comes to ruin.
\n10:10 He who winks maliciously causes grief,
\nand a chattering fool comes to ruin.<\/p>\n

EVIL TALK
\n6:16 There are six things the Lord hates,
\nseven that are detestable to him:
\n16:17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
\nhands that shed innocent blood,
\n16:18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
\nfeet that are quick to rush into evil,
\n16:19 a false witness who pours out lies
\nand a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.<\/p>\n

GOSSIP AND IDLE TALK
\n11:13 A gossip betrays a confidence,
\nbut a trustworthy man keeps a secret.
\n17:9 He who covers over an offence promotes love,
\nbut whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
\n18:2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding
\nbut delights in airing his own opinions.
\n20:19 A gossip betrays a confidence;
\nso avoid a man who talks too much.
\n26:20 Without wood a fire goes out;
\nwithout gossip a quarrel dies down.
\n14:23 All hard work brings a profit,
\nbut mere talk leads only to poverty.<\/p>\n

MOCKING
\n9:7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult;
\nwhoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.
\n9:8 Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you;
\nrebuke a wise man and he will love you.
\n9:12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
\nif you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.<\/p>\n

QUARRELING
\n17:1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
\nthan a house full of feasting, with strife.
\n20:3 It is to a man\u2019s honour to avoid strife,
\nbut every fool is quick to quarrel.
\n16:28 A perverse man stirs up dissension,
\nand a gossip separates close friends.
\n17:14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
\nso drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
\n26:21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
\nso is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
\n16:18 A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension,
\nbut a patient man calms a quarrel. <\/p>\n

LYING AND FALSE WITNESS
\n12:22 The Lord detests lying lips,
\nbut he delights in men who are truthful.
\n14:5 A truthful witness does not deceive,
\nbut a false witness pours out lies.
\n21:28 A false witness will perish,
\nand whoever listens to him will be destroyed for ever.
\n25:18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
\nis the man who gives false testimony against his neighbour.
\n26:28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
\nand a flattering mouth works ruin.<\/p>\n

SPEAKING IN HASTE
\n18:13 He who answers before listening\u2014
\nthat is his folly and his shame.
\n12:23 A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.
\n12:16 A fool shows his annoyance at once,
\nbut a prudent man overlooks an insult.<\/p>\n

ANGER
\n27:4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
\nbut who can stand before jealousy?
\n29:22An angry man stirs up dissension,
\nand a hot-tempered one commits many sins.<\/p>\n

NAGGING
\n21:9 and 25:24 Better to live on a corner of the roof
\nthan share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
\n21:9 Better to live in a desert
\nthan with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.
\n19:13 A foolish son is his father\u2019s ruin,
\nand a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.
\n27:15 A quarrelsome wife is like
\na constant dripping on a rainy day;
\n27:16 restraining her is like restraining the wind
\nor grasping oil with the hand.<\/p>\n

MORE BLESSINGS OF WISE SPEECH
\n12:14 From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.
\n13:14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
\n15:4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,
\n18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many people suffer from “foot in mouth disease” – every time I open my mouth I put my foot in it! We can use…<\/span><\/p>\n

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