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Although the spirit and practice of. retaliation are nowhere vindicated in Scripture, but everywhere explicitly and strongly condemned, yet a treatment corresponding to their own conduct towards others is what every one may expect. In the nature of things it cannot be otherwise. It is not in human nature, nor in any nature, not even in the Divine itself, to love with the love of complacence that which is unamiable. An amiable disposition alone can secure love; and amiability of disposition is greatly indicated by the tongue. The man who is charitable in his judgments, and disposed to speak well of others, will be himself the subject of charitable judgment and of cordial commendation. All will love and honour and bless the man "in whose tongue is the law of kindness." Thus he shall "eat good by the fruit of his mouth." On the contrary, against the man who is a "transgressor" with his lips, making them the instruments of malice in the utterance of slander, and the fomenting of alienation and strife — against that man are unavoidably kindled all the feelings of indignation, all the angry passions, of which the result is violence — the violence of vindictive pride and sense of wrong.

(R. Wardlaw.)

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KJV: A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.

WEB: By the fruit of his lips, a man enjoys good things; but the unfaithful crave violence.