Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. After "the lips" (Proverbs 10:13), the bringers forth of knowledge, follows the mind or memory, its storehouse. The wise lay it up in the mind, so as to bring it forth at the seasonable time (not at random, like fools, but) for the temporal and spiritual benefit of themselves and others (Matthew 12:35; Matthew 13:52) By his spiritual knowledge he wards off from himself and others the destruction which is the result of sin (Psalms 119:11). But the "foolish" has always "near" and reply in his mouth speech such as brings "destruction" on himself as well as on others (Proverbs 12:23). It is a considerable part of wisdom to know when to speak, and when to be silent.