The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 10:31
What does Proverbs 10:31 mean?
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Proverbs 10:31
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It's easy to read this as just "good people say good things, bad people get punished." But notice the imagery: the righteous mouth brings forth wisdom, like a fruitful tree or field yielding its harvest. This isn't just saying things; it's about a consistent, abundant overflow of good, wise counsel that nourishes others.
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse sits within a chapter contrasting the righteous and the wicked, showing how their very beings, expressed through their words and actions, lead to vastly different outcomes. It follows verses detailing how the wicked are overthrown and forgotten, while the righteous are established forever, highlighting that the "fruit" of one's life—what comes out of their mouth—ultimately determines their destiny.
What you say isn't just noise; it's like a harvest. What kind of harvest are you producing?
This verse uses a beautiful agricultural metaphor. It compares the words spoken by a righteous person to the fruit that a healthy tree or a fruitful field produces. Just as a tree is known by its fruit, a righteous person is recognized by the wise words that flow from their mouth. This isn't about just having smart ideas; it's about speaking words that are wise, helpful, and reflect a good heart. It’s a constant, abundant, and free outpouring of good counsel and truth.
The verse contrasts wise speech with something destructive. What happens to words that are twisted and wrong?
On the flip side, the 'perverse tongue' is starkly contrasted. This isn't just someone who occasionally misspeaks; it's a tongue that is deliberately twisted, speaking what is contrary to truth and goodness. The consequence is severe: it 'will be cut off.' This imagery speaks to a harsh judgment and a removal, much like a diseased or useless branch is pruned from a tree. The misuse of the powerful gift of speech, especially when it spews wickedness, leads to a definitive and negative end.
Understand the original words
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peh · Hebrew Noun
A biblical term for the faculty of speech or communication, often representing the overflow of the heart and the character of the speaker. It is frequently associated with the moral quality of what is uttered.
tsaddiq · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
One who is upright, just, or in a right relationship with God, characterized by conformity to God’s standard of holiness. In the wisdom literature, the righteous person is one who lives in accordance with God’s revealed truth.
chokmah · Hebrew Noun
The God-given capacity to perceive and live according to divine truth. It involves the practical application of knowledge, recognizing the fear of the Lord as its beginning, and resulting in moral excellence.
tahpukoth · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Describing that which is distorted, twisted, or turned away from the straight path of God’s truth. It refers to moral crookedness or that which is ethically warped and opposed to righteousness.
lashon · Hebrew Noun
The physical organ of speech used metaphorically for the words one chooses to speak. The tongue is often seen as an instrument that can either reflect life and wisdom or produce death and destruction.
karath · Hebrew Verb
An act of divine judgment or removal, indicating the cessation of influence, presence, or life due to persistent wickedness. It signifies being excluded from the community of the righteous or the blessing of God.
Jesus warns that people will have to give an account for every careless word they speak, directly connecting our speech to future judgment, just as Proverbs highlights the consequence of a perverse tongue.
Psalm 37:30This psalm echoes Proverbs by stating that the mouth of the righteous utters wisdom and their tongue speaks justice, showing a consistent theme of wise speech being a hallmark of the godly.
Colossians 4:6Paul's instruction for believers' speech to 'always be gracious, seasoned with salt' provides a positive counterpart to the warning against the perverse tongue, emphasizing the quality and purpose of righteous speech.
James 3:5-6James powerfully illustrates the destructive potential of the tongue, comparing it to a fire and a deadly poison, which amplifies the severity of the 'perverse tongue' being 'cut off' in Proverbs.
Matthew 15:11Jesus teaches that what comes out of the mouth defiles a person, showing that the nature of our speech is a direct indicator of the condition of our heart, aligning with the idea that the righteous mouth produces wisdom.
ellicottProverbs 10:31: "The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out."
(31) Bringeth forth wisdom. —As the fields their “increase” ( Deuteronomy 32:13 ); hence words are termed the “fruit of the lips” ( Isaiah 57:19 ). The froward tongue.—See above on Proverbs 2:12. Shall be cut out.—Comp. Christ’s warning (Matthew 12:36). Sins of the tongue will be severely judged, because, besides doing mischief to others, they are signs of an evil mind within (Matthew 5:34).
pulpitProverbs 10:31: "The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out."
Verse 31. - Bringeth forth; as a tree produces fruit, and the fields yield their increase. The metaphor is common. Thus Isaiah (Isaiah 57:19) speaks of "the fruit of the lips" (comp. Hebrews 13:15 and Psalm 37:30, which latter passage occurs in the same connection as the present). The Septuagint renders, "distilleth wisdom." So Song of Solomon 5:13, "His lips are like lilies, dropping sweet s…
It's easy to read this as just "good people say good things, bad people get punished." But notice the imagery: the righteous mouth brings forth wisdom, like a fruitful tree or field yielding its harvest. This isn't just saying things; it's about a consistent, abundant overflow of good, wise counsel that nourishes others.
This verse sits within a chapter contrasting the righteous and the wicked, showing how their very beings, expressed through their words and actions, lead to vastly different outcomes. It follows verses detailing how the wicked are overthrown and forgotten, while the righteous are established forever, highlighting that the "fruit" of one's life—what comes out of their mouth—ultimately determines their destiny.
This verse sits within a chapter contrasting the righteous and the wicked, showing how their very beings, expressed through their words and actions, lead to vastly different outcomes. It follows verses detailing how the wicked are overthrown and forgotten, while the righteous are established forever, highlighting that the "fruit" of one's life—what comes out of their mouth—ultimately determines their destiny.
"The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off." — It's easy to read this as just "good people say good things, bad people get punished." But notice the imagery: the righteous mouth brings forth wisdom, like a fruitful tree or field yielding its ha…
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Last reviewed October 2026