Proverbs 10:10
New International Version
Whoever winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

New Living Translation
People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace.

English Standard Version
Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin.

Berean Standard Bible
He who winks the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will come to ruin.

King James Bible
He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

New King James Version
He who winks with the eye causes trouble, But a prating fool will fall.

New American Standard Bible
He who winks the eye causes trouble, And a babbling fool will come to ruin.

NASB 1995
He who winks the eye causes trouble, And a babbling fool will be ruined.

NASB 1977
He who winks the eye causes trouble, And a babbling fool will be thrown down.

Legacy Standard Bible
He who winks the eye causes pain, And an ignorant fool of loose lips will be ruined.

Amplified Bible
He who [maliciously] winks the eye [of evil intent] causes trouble; And the babbling fool [who is arrogant and thinks himself wise] will come to ruin.

Christian Standard Bible
A sly wink of the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will be destroyed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A sly wink of the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will be destroyed.

American Standard Version
He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow; But a prating fool shall fall.

Contemporary English Version
Deceit causes trouble, and foolish talk will bring you to ruin.

English Revised Version
He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Whoever winks with his eye causes heartache. The one who talks foolishly will be thrown down headfirst.

Good News Translation
Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble, but one who openly criticizes works for peace.

International Standard Version
Those who wink their eyes are trouble makers, and the mocking fool will be brought down.

Majority Standard Bible
He who winks the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will come to ruin.

NET Bible
The one who winks his eye causes trouble, and the one who speaks foolishness will come to ruin.

New Heart English Bible
The one who winks with the eye causes trouble, but the one who boldly rebukes makes peace.

Webster's Bible Translation
He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

World English Bible
One who winks with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Whoever is winking the eye gives grief, "" And a talkative fool kicks.

Young's Literal Translation
Whoso is winking the eye giveth grief, And a talkative fool kicketh.

Smith's Literal Translation
He pinching the eye shall give pain: and the foolish of lips shall fall.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that winketh with the eye shall cause sorrow: and the foolish in lips shall be beaten.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He who winks with the eye gives sorrow. And the foolish in lips shall be beaten.

New American Bible
One who winks at a fault causes trouble, but one who frankly reproves promotes peace.

New Revised Standard Version
Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, but the one who rebukes boldly makes peace.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He who winks with his eyes deceitfully causes sorrow; but he who reproves openly makes peace.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
He that winks with his eyes in deceit gives sorrow, and he who reproves openly makes peace.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow; And a prating fool shall fall.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He that winks with his eyes deceitfully, procures griefs for men; but he that reproves boldly is a peacemaker.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Solomon's Proverbs: The Wise Son
9He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out. 10He who winks the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will come to ruin. 11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.…

Cross References
Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. / By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ...

James 3:5-6
In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. / The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

Psalm 101:7
No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who tells lies shall stand in my presence.

Matthew 12:34-37
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. / The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure. / But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. ...

Ephesians 4:25
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.

Proverbs 6:12-14
A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth, / winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers. / With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.

1 John 3:18
Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.

Proverbs 26:24-26
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart. / When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. / Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Colossians 3:9
Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices,

Proverbs 11:3
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the faithless destroys them.

1 Peter 3:10
For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.

Jeremiah 9:8
Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.

Romans 16:18
For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.


Treasury of Scripture

He that winks with the eye causes sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

that

Proverbs 6:13
He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

Job 15:12
Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,

Psalm 35:19
Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

but

Proverbs 10:8
The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

Proverbs 18:6,7,21
A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes…

fall or be beaten

Proverbs 18:6,7
A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes…

Jump to Previous
Babbling Boldly Cause Causes Causeth Chattering Eye Eyes Fall Fool Grief Kicketh Makes Maliciously Peace Prating Reproves Ruin Ruined Signs Sorrow Talkative Trouble Winketh Winking Winks
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Babbling Boldly Cause Causes Causeth Chattering Eye Eyes Fall Fool Grief Kicketh Makes Maliciously Peace Prating Reproves Ruin Ruined Signs Sorrow Talkative Trouble Winketh Winking Winks
Proverbs 10
1. Proverbs of Solomon: observations of moral virtues, and their contrary vices














He who winks the eye
The phrase "winks the eye" in the Hebrew context often implies deceit or malicious intent. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, non-verbal communication like winking could be a subtle signal of conspiracy or trickery. The act of winking here is not innocent or playful but rather a deliberate gesture to convey hidden agendas. This aligns with the broader biblical theme that God values transparency and truthfulness, as seen in passages like Psalm 101:7, which states that no one who practices deceit will dwell in God's house.

causes grief
The Hebrew word for "grief" can also be translated as "trouble" or "sorrow." This suggests that deceitful actions, symbolized by the winking eye, lead to negative consequences not only for the deceiver but also for those around them. In a historical context, communities in biblical times were tightly knit, and the actions of one individual could significantly impact the entire group. This serves as a warning that deceit disrupts harmony and brings about emotional and social turmoil.

and foolish lips
The term "foolish" in Proverbs often refers to someone who lacks wisdom and understanding, particularly in a moral or spiritual sense. The "lips" symbolize speech, and in this context, they represent words spoken without wisdom or consideration of God's truth. The Bible frequently contrasts the wise and the foolish, emphasizing that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10). Foolish speech, therefore, is not just imprudent but also indicative of a deeper spiritual deficiency.

will come to ruin
The phrase "come to ruin" implies destruction or downfall. In the Hebrew, this can mean to fall or to be overthrown. The Bible consistently teaches that words have power, as seen in James 3:5-6, where the tongue is described as a small part of the body that can set a great forest on fire. The ruin here is both personal and communal, as foolish words can lead to broken relationships, loss of reputation, and ultimately, divine judgment. This serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of guarding one's speech and seeking wisdom from God.

(10) Causeth sorrow to the person who is the butt of his ridicule, or against whom his malice is directed.

Verse 10. - He that winketh with the eye (Proverbs 6:13). This is a sign of craft, malice, and complicity with other wicked comrades. Ecclus. 27:22, "He that winketh with the eyes worketh evil." Causeth sorrow (Proverbs 15:13). He causes trouble and vexation by his cunning and secrecy. A prating fool (as Ver. 8). The two clauses are intended to teach that the garrulous fool is even more certain to bring ruin on himself and others than the crafty plotter. The Septuagint and Syriac have changed the latter clause into a sentence supposed to be more forcibly antithetical, "He who reproveth with boldness maketh peace." But there are sentences not strictly antithetical in this chapter, e.g. vers. 18, 22 (comp. Proverbs 11:10).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He who winks
קֹ֣רֵֽץ‪‬ (qō·rêṣ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7169: To pinch, to bite the lips, blink the eyes, to squeeze off

the eye
עַ֭יִן (‘a·yin)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

causes
יִתֵּ֣ן (yit·tên)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

grief,
עַצָּ֑בֶת (‘aṣ·ṣā·ḇeṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6094: A idol, a pain, wound

and foolish
וֶאֱוִ֥יל (we·’ĕ·wîl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 191: Foolish

lips
שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם (p̄ā·ṯa·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin

will come to ruin.
יִלָּבֵֽט׃ (yil·lā·ḇêṭ)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3832: To overthrow, intransposed, to fall


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 10:10 One winking with the eye causes sorrow (Prov. Pro Pr)
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