Proverbs 10:11

The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
– Proverbs 10:11

The mouth is here put for speech, the things we say. Solomon contrasts the speech of the righteous with the speech of the wicked. The word for well means a spring or fountain, and therefore, a source. Wisdom teaches the mouth of the righteous to be life giving (Psalm 37:30; Proverbs 10:21; 16:23). To cover is to conceal and violence points to malice. The mouth of the wicked cannot utter wisdom because it is covered by wrong and everything proceeding from it is tainted.

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