Proverbs 26 · Verse 23

Proverbs 26:23

Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
Proverbs 26:23, King James Version

Proverbs 26:23 in other translations

BSBLike glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
WEBLike silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
ASVFervent lips and a wicked heart Are like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
YLTSilver of dross spread over potsherd, Are burning lips and an evil heart.
DARBYArdent lips, and a wicked heart, are as an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
BBESmooth lips and an evil heart are like a vessel of earth plated with silver waste.
WebsterBurning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

What does Proverbs 26:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
23. Warm professions can no more give value to insincerity than silver coating to rude earthenware.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 Burning lips and a wicked heart - Splendid, shining, smooth lips; that is, lips which make great professions of friendship are like a vessel plated over with base metal to make it resemble silver; but it is only a vile pot, and even the outside is not pure.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
A wicked heart disguising itself, is like a potsherd covered with the dross of silver.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 26:23 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כֶּ֣סֶףKe.sefsilver ofH3701
סִ֭יגִיםSi.gimdross<es>H5509
מְצֻפֶּ֣הme.tzu.PehoverlaidH6823
עַל\־'al-onH5921
חָ֑רֶשׂCha.researthenwareH2789
שְׂפָתַ֖יִםse.fa.Ta.yimlipsH8193
דֹּלְקִ֣יםdo.le.KimburningH1814
וְלֶב\־ve.lev-and a heart ofH3820
רָֽע\׃Ra'evilH7451

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 26:23

  • Luke 22:47-48

    And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

  • Luke 11:39

    And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

  • Proverbs 10:18

    He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

  • Matthew 23:27

    Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

  • Ezekiel 33:31

    And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

  • Proverbs 25:4

    Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

  • 2 Samuel 20:9-10

    And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
That is, ardent professions of friendship from a wicked heart, however smooth, shining, and splendid they may appear, are like a vile vessel covered over with base metal.
10:18; 2Sa 20:9,10; Eze 33:31; Lu 22:47,48

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 26:22

    The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

  • Proverbs 26:23

    Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

  • Proverbs 26:24

    He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;

Read all of Proverbs 26

Proverbs 26:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Como escoria de plata echada sobre el tiesto, son los labios enardecidos y el corazón malo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Les lèvres brûlantes et le cœur mauvais sont comme de la litharge d’argent appliquée sur un vase de terre.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Ein irdenes Geschirr, mit Schlackensilber überzogen: so sind feurige Lippen und ein böses Herz.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Quomodo si argento sordido ornare velis vas fictile, sic labia tumentia cum pessimo corde sociata.