Movatterモバイル変換

Proverbs 15:23,28
A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a wordspoken in due season, how goodis it! …

Proverbs 12:23
A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

Proverbs 13:16
Every prudentman dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth openhis folly.

poureth

Psalm 59:7
Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swordsare in their lips: for who,say they, doth hear?

but the mouth of the fool spouts folly
In contrast, this phrase highlights the destructive nature of foolish speech. In the biblical context, a fool is not merely someone lacking intelligence but is often characterized by moral and spiritual deficiency, rejecting God's wisdom (Psalm 14:1). The fool's speech is reckless and devoid of understanding, leading to chaos and harm. This is consistent with the cultural understanding of folly in ancient Israel, where speech was a reflection of one's character and relationship with God. The imagery of "spouting" suggests an uncontrolled and excessive outpouring, akin to a fountain that cannot be stopped, which is echoed inJames 3:5-6, where the tongue is described as a small part of the body that can cause great destruction. This serves as a warning against careless words and aligns with the broader biblical narrative that emphasizes the importance of self-control and discernment in speech.

“The tongue of the wise” (Proverbs 15:2a) points to men and women whose hearts have been shaped by God’s Word.

• Wisdom in Scripture is never merely intellectual; it is a Spirit-formed character that shows up first in conversation (James 3:13;Colossians 4:6).

• When the heart is aligned with God, the tongue follows, much likeProverbs 10:32 says, “The lips of the righteous know what is fitting.”

• Wise speech is intentional. It slows down long enough to listen (James 1:19) and refuses to weaponize words.

“…commends knowledge” (15:2b) shows the purpose of wise speech: to put useful, godly truth on display.

• The verb carries the picture of making knowledge attractive—like arranging apples of gold in settings of silver (Proverbs 25:11).

• Wise words:

– Clarify truth without condescension (1 Peter 3:15).

– Build faith, not fear (Proverbs 16:23).

– Redirect conversations toward Christ, the embodiment of all wisdom (Colossians 2:3).

• A believer’s tongue becomes a living classroom where God’s knowledge is showcased.

In stark contrast, “the mouth of the fool” (15:2c) describes a life untouched by reverence for the Lord (Proverbs 1:7).

• A fool may possess information, but he lacks submission; therefore, his words are reckless (Proverbs 18:6-7).

• His mouth exposes his heart, as Jesus teaches inMatthew 12:35: “The good man brings good things out of his good treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil treasure.”

• The fool’s speech often escalates conflict, blinds himself to correction (Proverbs 12:15), and isolates him from wise counsel (Ecclesiastes 10:12).

“…spouts folly” (15:2d) pictures a gushing spring—continual, uncontrolled, and destructive.

• The imagery parallelsProverbs 29:11: “A fool vents all his anger, but a wise man holds it back.”

• Folly pours out:

– Rash promises (Proverbs 20:25).

– Gossip that wounds reputations (Proverbs 16:28).

– Arguments that scatter relationships (Proverbs 15:18).

• What fills the heart determines what flows from the mouth; unchecked, folly spreads like wildfire (James 3:6).

Proverbs 15:2 draws a sharp line: wisdom and folly are most visible in everyday conversation. A wise tongue, rooted in fear of the Lord, turns speech into a platform for truth, clarity, and grace. A foolish mouth, untethered from God, becomes a fountain of harm. Believers are called to cultivate hearts saturated with Scripture so that, in every setting, their words consistently “commend knowledge.”

(2)Useth knowledge aright.--Brings it forth at the proper time and place.