King James Version

Proverbs 14:3

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

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Hebrew

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בְּֽפִיbefiin edgeפֶּהpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in edge”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according toaccord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] s…אֱ֭וִילevilfoolאֱוִילadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “fool”, the ordinary formH191(figuratively) sillyfool(-ish) (man).חֹ֣טֶרchoterrodחֹטֵרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “rod”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2415a twigrod.גַּאֲוָ֑הgaavahexcellencyגַּאֲוָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “excellency”, the ordinary formH1346arrogance or majesty; by implication, (concretely) ornamentexcellency, haughtiness, highness, pride, proudly, swelling.וְשִׂפְתֵ֥יvesifteand languageשָׂפָהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, dual, construct — “and language”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8193the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, (sea-)shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.חֲ֝כָמִ֗יםchakhamimwise , manחָכָםadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “wise , man”, the ordinary formH2450wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)cunning (man), subtil, (un-), wise((hearted), man).תִּשְׁמוּרֵֽםtishmurembewardשָׁמַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “beward”, an unfinished actionH8104properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his pride; But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

Young’s Literal Translation

In the mouth of a fool [is] a rod of pride, And the lips of the wise preserve them.

World English Bible

The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.

Darby Translation

In the fool's mouth is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

Douay-Rheims

In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride: but the lips of the wise preserve them.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Out of the mouth of fools comes a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise preserve them.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐκ στόματος ἀφρόνων βακτηρία ὕβρεως, χείλη δὲ σοφῶν φυλάσσει αὐτούς.