Proverbs 10:21
New International Version
The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense.

New Living Translation
The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.

English Standard Version
The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.

Berean Standard Bible
The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of judgment.

King James Bible
The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

New King James Version
The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom.

New American Standard Bible
The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding.

NASB 1995
The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding.

NASB 1977
The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding.

Legacy Standard Bible
The lips of the righteous feed many, But ignorant fools die for lack of a heart of wisdom.

Amplified Bible
The lips of the righteous feed and guide many, But fools [who reject God and His wisdom] die for lack of understanding.

Christian Standard Bible
The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.

American Standard Version
The lips of the righteous feed many; But the foolish die for lack of understanding.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The lips of the righteous multiply compassion and the insane will die in the deficiency of their mind.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The lips of the righteous know sublime truths: but the foolish die in want.

Contemporary English Version
Many are helped by useful instruction, but fools are killed by their own stupidity.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The lips of the just teach many: but they that are ignorant, shall die in the want of understanding.

English Revised Version
The lips of the righteous feed many: but the foolish die for lack of understanding.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The lips of a righteous person feed many, but stubborn fools die because they have no sense.

Good News Translation
A good person's words will benefit many people, but you can kill yourself with stupidity.

International Standard Version
What the righteous person says nourishes many, but fools die because they lack discerning hearts.

JPS Tanakh 1917
The lips of the righteous feed many; But the foolish die for want of understanding.

Literal Standard Version
The lips of the righteous delight many, | And fools die for lack of heart.

Majority Standard Bible
The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of judgment.

New American Bible
The lips of the just nourish many, but fools die for want of sense.

NET Bible
The teaching of the righteous feeds many, but fools die for lack of wisdom.

New Revised Standard Version
The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.

New Heart English Bible
The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.

Webster's Bible Translation
The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

World English Bible
The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.

Young's Literal Translation
The lips of the righteous delight many, And fools for lack of heart die.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Solomon's Proverbs: The Wise Son
20The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked has little worth. 21The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of judgment. 22The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it.…

Cross References
Matthew 12:35
The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.

Proverbs 5:23
He dies for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.

Proverbs 6:32
He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.

Proverbs 10:11
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.


Treasury of Scripture

The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

feed

Proverbs 12:18
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

Proverbs 15:4
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Job 4:3,4
Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands…

fools

Proverbs 1:29,31
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: …

Proverbs 5:12,23
And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; …

Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

wisdom

Proverbs 17:16
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

Jump to Previous
Death Die Feed Food Foolish Fools Heart Judgment Lips Need Nourish Righteous Sense Understanding Upright Want Wisdom
Jump to Next
Death Die Feed Food Foolish Fools Heart Judgment Lips Need Nourish Righteous Sense Understanding Upright Want Wisdom
Proverbs 10
1. Proverbs of Solomon: observations of moral virtues, and their contrary vices














(21) The lips of the righteous feed many--i.e., sustain them by words of counsel, encouragement, and comfort, giving to each one his "meat in due season "(Matthew 24:45).

Fools.--Headstrong, obstinate persons (Proverbs 1:7).

For want of wisdom.--Or it may be translated, "Through one who is destitute of wisdom." As one righteous man will guide many aright, so one unwise man will lead many fools to ruin.

Verse 21. - Feed many. The righteous by wise counsel teach, support, and guide others (Ecclesiastes 12:11; Jeremiah 3:15). So the clergy are the shepherds of their flocks (John 21:15; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2). The LXX. has a different reading, "know high things." Fools die for want of wisdom. Far from "feeding" others, they bring ruin on themselves (Proverbs 5:23). Others translate, "die through one who wanteth understanding;" but if the Hebrew will bear this rendering, it is obvious that fools need no guide to their fall; their fate is a natural result. In this case the meaning must be that the foolish man involves others in destruction. But it is best to translate as the Authorized Version.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The lips
שִׂפְתֵ֣י (śip̄·ṯê)
Noun - fdc
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin

of the righteous
צַ֭דִּיק (ṣad·dîq)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

feed
יִרְע֣וּ (yir·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7462: To tend a, flock, pasture it, in, to graze, to rule, to associate with

many,
רַבִּ֑ים (rab·bîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

but fools
וֶֽ֝אֱוִילִ֗ים (we·’ĕ·wî·lîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 191: Foolish

die
יָמֽוּתוּ׃ (yā·mū·ṯū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

for lack
בַּחֲסַר־ (ba·ḥă·sar-)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2638: Needy, lacking, in want of

of judgment.
לֵ֥ב (lêḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre


Links
Proverbs 10:21 NIV
Proverbs 10:21 NLT
Proverbs 10:21 ESV
Proverbs 10:21 NASB
Proverbs 10:21 KJV

Proverbs 10:21 BibleApps.com
Proverbs 10:21 Biblia Paralela
Proverbs 10:21 Chinese Bible
Proverbs 10:21 French Bible
Proverbs 10:21 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Proverbs 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 10:20
Top of Page
Top of Page