7Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
Linguistic Insight
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Cross-References
From the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. …
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? …
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment. …
The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
Commentary
Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible (1710)
(vv. 7)Two things are here represented as very absurd: 1. That men of no repute should be dictators. What can be more unbecoming than for fools, who are known to have little sense and discretion, to pretend to that which is above them and which they were never cut out for? A fool, in Solomon’s proverbs, signifies a wicked man, whom excellent speech does not become, because his conversation gives the lie…
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