The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
Proverbs 10:18
What does Proverbs 10:18 mean?
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Proverbs 10:18
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse doesn't just condemn outward slander; it calls out the hidden malice behind "lying lips" as equally foolish. The one who conceals hatred is seen as just as deceitful and unwise as the one who openly spreads lies, because both actively damage relationships with a false front.
The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This proverb appears amidst a series of contrasts highlighting the actions and consequences of the wise and the foolish. It directly follows verses contrasting diligence with laziness and truthfulness with deceit, setting up a pattern of distinguishing righteous behavior from wicked. The verse warns against both hidden malice and open slander, framing them as two equally foolish and destructive forms of speech.
What’s worse: an enemy you can see, or one hiding behind a smile? This verse reveals the dangerous hypocrisy of a heart full of hate disguised by pleasant words.
Proverbs 10:18 calls out a specific kind of deception: hiding hatred. It’s not just about holding a grudge; it’s about actively covering it up with ‘lying lips.’ This means putting on a false show of friendship, agreement, or goodwill while harboring malice. Think of someone who offers a compliment while plotting harm, or pretends to forget an offense while waiting to strike back. This outward falsehood is a direct result of the inward sin of hatred, making the deceiver profoundly untrustworthy and spiritually bankrupt.
We often think of quiet resentment as the bigger danger, but this verse boldly declares slanderers are fools. Why is open verbal attack so foolish in God's eyes?
The second part of the verse targets the open slanderer. While hiding hatred is a subtle poison, spreading slander is an immediate, destructive act. To ‘utter slander’ is to defame, gossip, or speak falsely about someone, aiming to ruin their reputation. The proverb calls this behavior foolishness. This isn't just a social faux pas; it’s a profound lack of wisdom because slanderers damage others, invite retribution upon themselves, and ultimately disregard God’s command to love their neighbor. Their words create chaos and destruction, revealing a deep spiritual immaturity.
The verse pairs two seemingly different sins. What vital truth unites the person who hides hatred with lies and the one who openly slanders?
Ask a follow-up
The genius of this proverb lies in its pairing of two distinct vices: the secret hater and the open slanderer. While one operates in shadows with deception, the other strikes openly with destructive words. Yet, the proverb declares both are fundamentally foolish. They are both fools because they act against God’s character and His commands. The hidden hater is a liar, undermining trust and truth. The slanderer is a fool, causing immediate harm and inviting ruin. Both actions reveal a profound lack of God-given wisdom and ultimately lead to self-destruction and divine judgment. They both operate outside the wisdom of God, which calls for love, truth, and integrity.
Understand the original words
sinah · Hebrew Noun
An intense, malevolent, or hostile feeling directed toward another person, often associated with malice or enmity.
dibbah · Hebrew Noun
False or malicious reports spoken about another person, intended to damage their reputation and sow discord.
keciyth · Hebrew Noun
One who lacks divine wisdom, often characterized by moral dullness, arrogance, and a refusal to learn from God or others.
Jesus warns against hypocrisy, specifically calling out the 'leaven of the Pharisees,' which was their hidden sin and outward pretense, mirroring how Proverbs describes the danger of concealing hatred with lying lips.
Matthew 23:27-28Jesus likens the outwardly righteous but inwardly corrupt Pharisees to whitewashed tombs; this powerfully illustrates the deceit of 'lying lips' hiding a heart full of malice, as mentioned in Proverbs.
Psalm 55:21This psalm describes a treacherous enemy whose words are smooth but whose heart is full of enmity, a vivid picture of the 'lying lips' that 'conceal hatred' in Proverbs.
Romans 1:29-30Paul lists various sins, including 'slander,' and places it alongside deceit and hatred, reinforcing Proverbs' association of slander with foolishness and malice.
ellicottProverbs 10:18: "He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool."
(18) He that hideth hatred . . .—This would be more correctly translated, “He that hideth hatred is a mouth of falsehood: he that spreadeth slander is a fool” ( khesîl: Proverbs 1:22 ). (For the construction, “he . . . is a mouth of falsehood,” comp. note on Proverbs 8:30 ; and for the sentiment, David’s complaint, Psalm 41:6 ). Is a fool.—For he does mischief to his neighbour, and only gets ill-…
pulpitProverbs 10:18: "He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool."
Verse 18. - This verse ought to be translated, He that hideth hatred is [a man] of lying lips, and he that uttereth slander is a fool. He who cherishes hatred in the heart must be a liar and a hypocrite, speaking and acting in a way contrary to his real sentiments; if he divulges his slander, he is a stupid fool, injuring his neighbour, and procuring ill will for himself. The LXX. reads, "Just (δ…
This verse doesn't just condemn outward slander; it calls out the hidden malice behind "lying lips" as equally foolish. The one who conceals hatred is seen as just as deceitful and unwise as the one who openly spreads lies, because both actively damage relationships with a false front.
This proverb appears amidst a series of contrasts highlighting the actions and consequences of the wise and the foolish. It directly follows verses contrasting diligence with laziness and truthfulness with deceit, setting up a pattern of distinguishing righteous behavior from wicked. The verse warns against both hidden malice and open slander, framing them as two equally foolish and destructive forms of speech.
This proverb appears amidst a series of contrasts highlighting the actions and consequences of the wise and the foolish. It directly follows verses contrasting diligence with laziness and truthfulness with deceit, setting up a pattern of distinguishing righteous behavior from wicked. The verse warns against both hidden malice and open slander, framing them as two equally foolish and destructive forms of speech.
"The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool." — This verse doesn't just condemn outward slander; it calls out the hidden malice behind "lying lips" as equally foolish. The one who conceals hatred is seen as just as deceitful and unwise as the one…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026