She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Parallel translations
- WEB She opens her mouth with wisdom. Faithful instruction is on her tongue.
- BSB She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
- NKJV She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
- NASB She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
- NLT When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.
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
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful, kind instruction is on her tongue.
Overview
Her character shows in her speech, which is marked by wisdom and loving, trustworthy teaching. She uses her words to build up and instruct rather than to wound. Such gracious, wise speech embodies the wisdom Proverbs commends and reflects the kindness of the God whose words are truth and life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 26
- Eph 4:29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
- Prov 16:24Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
- Prov 10:31The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
- Prov 12:18There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
- 1 Pet 3:4–5But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
- Col 4:5Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
- Prov 31:8–9Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
- Mal 2:6The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
- 1 Pet 3:8–9Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
- Judg 13:23But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
- 1 Pet 3:1Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
- Prov 25:15By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
- Esth 8:3–6And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
- Esth 5:8If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.
- Esth 7:3–6Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
- Luke 1:42–56And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
- 1 Sam 25:24–31And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.
- Song 4:11Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.
- Acts 18:26And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
- Acts 6:15And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
- 2 Kgs 22:15–20And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
- Luke 1:38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
- 2 Sam 20:16–22Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
- Song 2:14O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
- Esth 4:4So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.
- Gen 24:18–20And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
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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 31:26 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
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