The man who guards his mouth and tongue guards his soul from the trouble that speech most often brings.
The most repeated theme in this book gets summarized in Proverbs 21:23: He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles (v. 23). The verse is a near-summary of one of Proverbs' most repeated teachings.
Speech is the most consistent source of self-inflicted damage in the book. The man who guards his mouth and his tongue is doing more than avoiding gossip or careless words; he is guarding his soul.
James will eventually pick up this same insight and turn it into a chapter (James 3). Most of the trouble we get into in life comes through what we say. Most of the trouble we avoid comes in the same way
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Proverbs 21:23 meaning
The most repeated theme in this book gets summarized in Proverbs 21:23: He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles (v. 23). The verse is a near-summary of one of Proverbs' most repeated teachings.
Speech is the most consistent source of self-inflicted damage in the book. The man who guards his mouth and his tongue is doing more than avoiding gossip or careless words; he is guarding his soul.
James will eventually pick up this same insight and turn it into a chapter (James 3). Most of the trouble we get into in life comes through what we say. Most of the trouble we avoid comes in the same way