Proverbs 15:7 (DRB)

Passage

The lips of the wise shall disperse knowledge: the heart of fools shall be unlike.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 15:5 A fool laugheth at the instruction of his father: but he that regardeth reproofs shall become prudent. In abundant justice there is the greatest strength: but the devices of the wicked shall be rooted out.

Proverbs 15:6 The house of the just is very much strength: and in the fruits of the wicked is trouble.

Proverbs 15:7 The lips of the wise shall disperse knowledge: the heart of fools shall be unlike.

Proverbs 15:8 The victims of the wicked are abominable to the Lord: the vows of the just are acceptable.

Proverbs 15:9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: he that followeth justice is beloved by him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "lips", "wise", "shall", "disperse", "knowledge", "heart", and "fools". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "lips" and "wise", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "The house of the just is very..." into verse 8's "The victims of the wicked are abominable...", so "lips" and "wise" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "lips" and "wise" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.