Proverbs 31:8

Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

Ver. 8. Open thy mouth for the dumb,] i.e., Speak wisely and freely for those that either cannot or may not speak for themselves. Thus Nicodemus spoke for our Saviour; Joh 7:21 Paphnutius in the council for the married clergy; Pliny to Trajan for the persecuted Christians; the Elector of Saxony for Luther, &c. Oecolampadius saith a that wise men only open their mouths, for a fool's mouth is never but open. Hence, κεχηνοτες, gapers, are put for fools in Lucian and Aristophanes.

a Oecolamp. in Job xxxiii.