Proverbs 10:8

“The wise in heart will receive commandments, etc.] Such who have true wisdom in the hidden part of the heart, of which the fear of the Lord is the beginning: these will not only, as good subjects, honour their king, and attend to his lawful commands; and, as dutiful children, regard those of their parents; and, as faithful servants, hearken to those of their masters; but, as such that fear the Lord, will receive and cheerfully obey the commandments of God and Christ; but a prating fool shall fall; like Diotrephes, that prated against the Apostle John and other saints. Or, “a fool of lips”f267; whose folly is proclaimed and made known by his lips; who, out of the abundance of it in his heart,…”

“wise, &c.--(compare Pro 9:8-9, Pro 9:16), opposed to prating fool--or, "fool of lips of wicked language." fall--headlong, suddenly.”

“A prating ... fall - Better, as in the margin. Inward self-contained wisdom is contrasted with self-exposed folly. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Who receive - Is ready to hear and obey the precepts of God and men. Fall - Into mischief. Proverbs 10:9”

“wise: Pro 1:5, Pro 9:9, Pro 12:1, Pro 14:8; Psa 119:34; Jam 3:13 but: Pro 10:10, Pro 12:13, Pro 13:3, Pro 14:23 prating fool: Heb. a fool of lips, Ecc 10:12 fall: or, be beaten, Pro 18:6, Pro 18:7 Proverbs 10:9”

“There follows now a series of proverbs in which reference to sins of the mouth and their contrary prevails: He that is wise in heart receives precepts; But he that is of a foolish mouth comes to ruin. A חכם־לב, wise-hearted, as one whose heart is חכם, Pro 23:15; in a word, a נבון, a person of understanding or judgment, Pro 16:21. Such an one does not make his own knowledge the ne plus ultra, nor does he make his own will the noli me tangere; but he takes commands, i.e., instructions directing or prohibiting, to which he willingly subordinates himself as the outflow of a higher knowledge and will, and by which he sets bounds and limits to himself. But a fool of the lips, i.e., a braggart…”