Proverbs 10 21

Proverbs 10:21 kjv

The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

Proverbs 10:21 nkjv

The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom.

Proverbs 10:21 niv

The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense.

Proverbs 10:21 esv

The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.

Proverbs 10:21 nlt

The words of the godly encourage many,
but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.

Proverbs 10 verses

Proverbs 10 21 meaning

The words spoken by those who are in right standing with God provide profound sustenance, instruction, and life-giving guidance to many. Conversely, those who stubbornly reject wisdom and spiritual understanding are doomed to ruin and perish due to their profound deficiency in moral and spiritual discernment.

Proverbs 10 21 Context

Proverbs chapter 10 marks a significant shift in the book's structure. Following the longer poetic teachings of chapters 1-9, chapter 10 begins a collection of shorter, often antithetical (contrasting) proverbs primarily attributed to Solomon. These proverbs present pithy, two-line statements that contrast two types of individuals or actions—the wise versus the foolish, the righteous versus the wicked, diligence versus laziness—and their respective consequences. The immediate context of Pr 10:21 aligns with this overarching theme of contrasting destinies based on moral character and wisdom, particularly focusing on the power and impact of one's words. Historically and culturally, ancient Israel, like other Near Eastern societies, valued wisdom as practical skill for life and adherence to divine instruction. The concept of "lips" carrying weight reflects an oral culture where spoken words had profound social and ethical implications, contrasting beneficial speech with the self-destructive nature of folly, which was understood not merely as a lack of intelligence but as a moral orientation away from God's way.

Proverbs 10 21 Word analysis

• The lips (שִׂפְתֵי, siftei): This is a metonymy, where "lips" stand for the words, speech, teachings, and counsel that proceed from a person. In ancient cultures, words were powerful and had direct consequences, making the "lips" a primary instrument of influence and expression of one's inner being.
• of the righteous (צַדִּיק, tzaddiq): Refers to an upright person, one who conforms to God's standards, practices justice, and walks in integrity. Their righteousness is often evidenced by their words and actions.
• feed (יִרְעוּ, yir'u): Derived from the verb רעה (ra'ah), meaning "to pasture," "to shepherd," "to tend a flock." This word is significant. It implies far more than simply "feeding"; it suggests active care, nourishment, guidance, protection, and provision—like a shepherd caring for his sheep. The righteous, through their words, provide spiritual, intellectual, and moral sustenance.
• many (רַבִּים, rabbim): Indicates a significant number or multitude. The beneficial impact of the righteous is not confined but extends broadly, touching numerous lives.
• but (וְ, ve): This is a strong adversative conjunction, highlighting the stark contrast between the two clauses.
• fools (אֱוִילִים, 'evilim): The Hebrew 'ewil refers to a type of fool who is ignorant, perverse, despises wisdom and instruction, and is typically arrogant and stubborn. Unlike the naive pethi, the 'ewil resists correction and is morally corrupt in their lack of understanding.
• die (יָמוּתוּ, yamutu): From the verb מוּת (mut), meaning "to die" or "to perish." While it can refer to physical death, in the context of wisdom literature, it frequently implies ruin, destruction, failure, misery, spiritual deadness, or a life leading to utter demise, cut off from the source of true life and blessing.
• for lack of sense (בַּחֲסַר לֵב, bakhăsar lev): Literally, "in a lack of heart."
  • lack (חֲסַר, khăsar): Indicates a deficiency, absence, or want of something vital.
  • sense/heart (לֵב, lev): In Hebrew anthropology, the "heart" is the seat of intellect, understanding, will, discernment, and moral decision-making, not just emotion. So, "lack of heart" means a profound deficiency in judgment, wisdom, discernment, and the ability to understand spiritual or moral truth. It's not mere ignorance but an internal incapacity or unwillingness to embrace wisdom.

• "The lips of the righteous feed many": This phrase encapsulates the life-giving, guiding, and nurturing power of words spoken by those who align their lives with divine truth. Their speech is a source of intellectual, spiritual, and moral provision, analogous to a shepherd providing everything needful for his flock.
• "but fools die for lack of sense": This contrasting phrase underscores the self-destructive nature of foolishness. The absence of spiritual and moral discernment (lack of "heart"/sense) is a fatal flaw that inevitably leads to ruin and ultimate perishing, because fools reject the very wisdom that would lead to life and flourish.

Proverbs 10 21 Bonus section

• The shepherding metaphor for "feed" is profound, echoing God's own role as the Shepherd of His people and the responsibility of leaders to nourish and guide their flock with wisdom (e.g., Ps 23, Ezek 34:14). It underscores a deep, caring, and comprehensive provision beyond mere sustenance.
• The "lack of sense" in a fool is not presented as an unfortunate deficiency, but often as a chosen path. The fool "despises" wisdom (Pr 1:7) and actively rejects instruction, making their demise a consequence of their persistent choice, rather than a mere accident of intelligence.
• This proverb holds true not just for public figures but for every individual's daily interactions. Every word spoken carries potential for either building up or tearing down, for imparting wisdom or exposing folly, highlighting the ethical dimension of common discourse.
• The verse implicitly teaches that the impact of one's life often extends far beyond personal boundaries, with righteous character and wise words having a beneficial ripple effect, while folly can spread its own form of destruction or, at the very least, leads to the fool's own self-imposed demise.

Proverbs 10 21 Commentary

Proverbs 10:21 powerfully illustrates the divergent outcomes of living wisely versus living foolishly, specifically highlighting the impact of speech and the consequences of inner character. The words of the righteous are presented as a vital source of nourishment, akin to a shepherd tending his flock, providing life, direction, and sustained well-being to those who listen. This implies a proactive and positive influence that uplifts and sustains a community or individuals. In stark contrast, the internal deficiency of "fools"—not merely in intelligence but in moral and spiritual understanding ("lack of heart/sense")—leads them to ruin. Their words may be empty or destructive, but more fundamentally, their internal foolishness leaves them unable to discern life-giving truth, causing their downfall. The proverb emphasizes that true well-being and life itself are intricately linked to wisdom and righteous character, manifesting notably through the power and content of one's speech, while folly inevitably brings about desolation.