Bible Strands
Proverbs 12:14
By fruitful speech a man is filled with good things, and the work of his hands returns to him.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The wisdom teacher addresses Israel within a structured collection of moral contrasts. This verse sits between a warning about the entrapment of rebellious speech and a contrast between foolish self-reliance and wise counsel.
The words — פִּי (pi) translates literally as "mouth," and גְּמ֥וּל (gemul) means "reward" or "dealing." These terms anchor the verse’s claim that speech and labor produce measurable outcomes.
The thread — The motif of speech yielding harvest appears in Proverbs 18:20 and Proverbs 13:2. The principle of labor returning to the worker echoes Isaiah 3:10.
Why it lands — The text states that fruitful speech fills a person with good things and that the work of one's hands returns to them. It requires readers to examine their daily speech and labor as direct determinants of their circumstances.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 18:20 From the fruit of his mouth a man’s belly is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
- Isaiah 3:10 Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
- Proverbs 13:2 From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the desire of the faithless is violence.
- Psalms 63:5 My soul is satisfied as with the richest of foods; with joyful lips my mouth will praise You.
- Proverbs 15:23 A man takes joy in a fitting reply—and how good is a timely word!
- Matthew 10:41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
- Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:6 After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
- Hebrews 2:2 For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every transgression and disobedience received its just punishment,
- Hebrews 11:26 He valued disgrace for Christ above the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward.