Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
Parallel translations
- KJV Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
- BSB Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
- NKJV Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
- NASB Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
- NLT The godly are showered with blessings; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Blessings rest on the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. The righteous receive blessing; the wicked are marked by harm.
Overview
A contrast is drawn between the blessing that crowns the righteous and the violence that characterizes and overtakes the wicked. The 'mouth' of the wicked points to speech as a source and sign of their corruption. The verse reflects the broad biblical pattern that righteousness leads to blessing while wickedness reaps trouble (Galatians 6:7-8).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Deut 28:2All these blessings will come upon you, and overtake you, if you listen to Yahweh your God’s voice.
- Prov 28:20A faithful man is rich with blessings; but one who is eager to be rich will not go unpunished.
- Prov 24:25but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.
- Prov 10:11The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
- Job 29:13the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
- Prov 11:26People curse someone who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.
- Esth 7:8Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
- Ps 107:42The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.
- Rom 3:19Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.
- 2 Tim 1:16–18May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 10:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.