Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 10:10
What does Proverbs 10:10 mean?
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Proverbs 10:10
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What's really striking here is that the verse isn't contrasting good and bad behavior, but two different kinds of destructive behavior. Crafty, secretive winking that schemes against others causes sorrow, but even this is eclipsed by the sheer, unstoppable ruin brought by a fool who just can't stop talking.
Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This chapter is a collection of contrasting sayings, highlighting the differences between the wise and the foolish, and the righteous and the wicked. Verse 10 continues this pattern by contrasting two destructive behaviors: the secretive, malicious "wink" of a plotter and the ruinous talkativeness of a fool. While previous verses might have focused on the consequences of foolishness for oneself, here the proverb emphasizes how both cunning deception and reckless speech ultimately lead to trouble.
Winking the eye might seem harmless, even like a subtle joke. But the Proverbs sees it as something far more sinister.
The verse begins by describing someone who 'winks the eye.' This isn't just a casual gesture; it's a picture of someone who secretly plots mischief or conveys complicity in wrongdoing.
Cunning and Conspiracy
This secret signal is used to:
It’s a sign of craft and malice, a way to operate in the shadows and cause trouble for others, often leading to sorrow for everyone involved, including the plotter in the end.
While the secret schemer causes sorrow, the loudmouth fool brings about their own downfall. What's the difference?
The second part of the verse contrasts the secretive schemer with the 'babbling fool.' This isn't just someone who talks a lot, but someone whose speech is uncontrolled, foolish, and often offensive.
The Price of Garrulity
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Unlike the crafty person who harms others with subtle signals, the babbling fool's downfall comes from their own unrestrained tongue:
While the first clause shows how cunning can hurt others, this clause emphasizes how uncontrolled foolishness leads to self-destruction.
This passage directly parallels the first half of Proverbs 10:10, describing 'a worthless person, a wicked man' who goes about with 'perverse speech,' winking with his eyes, signaling with his feet, pointing with his fingers, and who will suddenly be ruined.
Psalm 35:19This verse uses the imagery of 'winking with their eyes' to describe enemies who hate someone without cause, highlighting the secretive, malicious intent behind such a gesture.
Proverbs 15:2This verse provides a contrast to the 'babbling fool,' stating that 'the tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly,' emphasizing the destructive nature of uncontrolled speech.
Ecclesiastes 10:12-14This passage speaks of the ruin that comes from foolish talk and empty words, stating 'the words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him,' reinforcing the consequences of foolish speech.
pulpitProverbs 10:10: "He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall."
Verse 10. - He that winketh with the eye (Proverbs 6:13). This is a sign of craft, malice, and complicity with other wicked comrades. Ecclus. 27:22, "He that winketh with the eyes worketh evil." Causeth sorrow (Proverbs 15:13). He causes trouble and vexation by his cunning and secrecy. A prating fool (as Ver. 8). The two clauses are intended to teach that the garrulous fool is even more certain to brin…
clarkeProverbs 10:10: "He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall."
He that winketh with the eye - Instead of the latter clause, on which see Proverbs 10:8 , the Septuagint has, ὁ δε ελεγχων μετα παῥρησιας ειρηνοποιει· "but he that reproveth with freedom, maketh peace." This is also the reading of the Syriac and Arabic. A faithful open reproving of sin is more likely to promote the peace of society than the passing it by slightly, or taking no notice of it; for if th…
What's really striking here is that the verse isn't contrasting good and bad behavior, but two different kinds of destructive behavior. Crafty, secretive winking that schemes against others causes sorrow, but even this is eclipsed by the sheer, unstoppable ruin brought by a fool who just can't stop talking.
This chapter is a collection of contrasting sayings, highlighting the differences between the wise and the foolish, and the righteous and the wicked. Verse 10 continues this pattern by contrasting two destructive behaviors: the secretive, malicious "wink" of a plotter and the ruinous talkativeness of a fool. While previous verses might have focused on the consequences of foolishness for oneself, here the proverb emphasizes how both cunning deception and reckless speech ultimately lead to trouble.
This chapter is a collection of contrasting sayings, highlighting the differences between the wise and the foolish, and the righteous and the wicked. Verse 10 continues this pattern by contrasting two destructive behaviors: the secretive, malicious "wink" of a plotter and the ruinous talkativeness of a fool. While previous verses might have focused on the consequences of foolishness for oneself, here the proverb emphasizes how both cunning deception and reckless speech ultimately lead to trouble.
"Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin." — What's really striking here is that the verse isn't contrasting good and bad behavior, but two different kinds of destructive behavior. Crafty, secretive winking that schemes against others causes…
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Last reviewed October 2026