PROVERBS—NOTE ON Proverbs 10:31 The repetition of the mouth of the righteous (see v. Proverbs 10:11) and the mouth of the wicked (see vv. Proverbs 10:6, Proverbs 10:11) acts as a frame around vv. Proverbs 10:6. Verses Proverbs 10:31 conclude the chapter by drawing the contrast into focus: The perverse tongue shows the state of the person’s heart (see the related contrast of v. Proverbs 10:20). The fact that it will be cut off indicates that what the wicked have hidden in their speech (violence, vv. Proverbs 10:6, Proverbs 10:11; hatred, v. Proverbs 10:18) has ruined them from the inside out. By contrast, the mouth and lips of the righteous reveal a heart that brings forth wisdom, which is a blessing to themselves and others (see vv. Proverbs 10:11, Proverbs 10:21).

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