Proverbs 10:31The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~950 BC. Solomon's wisdom school. Young men learning to govern and lead in what is now Israel/Palestine...
The emotion here: urgent concern about the power of words
The original word
chokmah (חָכְמָה) — skill in living, practical wisdom that navigates life successfully, not just knowledge
Why it matters
In Solomon's court, advisors who gave bad counsel could face severe punishment, including death
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 10:31
The 'cutting off' isn't just divine judgment - in ancient courts, bad advisors literally lost their tongues
Common misconceptionMany think this is just about being nice or polite, but wisdom often requires difficult truths spoken at the right time in the right way.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 10:31
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 10:31 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 10:31 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. The dominant emotion in this verse is growing, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include speech, wisdom, righteousness. Notable phrases: mouth of the righteous; brings forth wisdom.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same growing
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6
“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
— Romans 10:17
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
— John 3:30
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2
“He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 10:31 mean to you, today?
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