Passage
An oath <FI>is<Fi> on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth trespasseth not.
Proverbs 16:10 (YLT)
Nearby Context
Proverbs 16:8 Better <FI>is<Fi> a little with righteousness, Than abundance of increase without justice.
Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man deviseth his way, And Jehovah establisheth his step.
Proverbs 16:10 An oath <FI>is<Fi> on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth trespasseth not.
Proverbs 16:11 A just beam and balances <FI>are<Fi> Jehovah's, His work <FI>are<Fi> all the stones of the bag.
Proverbs 16:12 An abomination to kings <FI>is<Fi> doing wickedness, For by righteousness is a throne established.
Study Lenses
The verse centers on "oath", "lips", "king", "judgment", "mouth", and "trespasseth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "oath" and "lips", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 9's "The heart of man deviseth his way..." into verse 11's "A just beam and balances FI are...", so "oath" and "lips" 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 "oath" and "lips" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.