The words of a wise man's mouth [are] gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
Ver. 12. The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious.] Heb., Are grace; they are nothing but grace, so the French translator hath it; a such as render him gracious with God and men, so Lyra glosseth it, as being usually "seasoned with salt, and ministering grace to the hearers." Col 4:6
But the lips of a fool swallow up himself.] Suddenly, utterly, unavoidably, as the whale did Jonah, as the devouring sword doth those that fall under it, as the grave doth all the living. How many of all sorts in all ages have perished by their unruly tongues, blabbing or belching out words Quae reditura per iugulum, as Pliny phraseth it that were driven down their throats again by the wronged and aggrieved parties! Take heed, saith the Arabic proverb, lest thy tongue cut thy throat; it is compared to "a sharp razor working deceitfully," Psa 52:3 which, instead of cutting the hair, cuts the throat. b
a Ne sont que grace.
b Cave ne feriat lingua tua collum tuum. - Scal. Ar. Prov.