What is the meaning of Proverbs 10:10?

He who winks the eye

- In Scripture a wink is more than a playful gesture; it signals hidden motives (Proverbs 6:12-13).

- The picture is of someone communicating schemes in secret—an under-the-radar rebellion against righteousness (Psalm 35:19).

- Such covert signaling tempts others to join wrongdoing, eroding trust and unity in the community (Proverbs 16:28).

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causes grief

- Deception never stays private; it eventually surfaces and wounds everyone involved (Proverbs 17:20).

- Grief lands on both the victim and the perpetrator:

• Victims suffer betrayal (Proverbs 26:24-26).

• The plotter reaps consequences—broken relationships, a tarnished name, and God’s discipline (Galatians 6:7).

- God’s wisdom urges open, honest dealings so “the fruit of righteousness will be peace” (James 3:18).

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and foolish lips will come to ruin

- The verse shifts from secret gestures to spoken words, reminding us that folly travels by every channel—eyes or lips (Proverbs 10:8).

- Foolish speech is:

• Boastful (Proverbs 27:2)

• Rash (Proverbs 29:20)

• Destructive, like “a scorching fire” (James 3:6).

- Ruin may appear as:

• Loss of credibility (Proverbs 13:3)

• Legal or financial collapse (Proverbs 18:7)

• Ultimate spiritual downfall (Matthew 12:36-37).

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summary

Proverbs 10:10 warns that hidden deception and open foolish talk both cultivate misery and eventual collapse. God calls His people to transparent hearts and truth-filled speech, for “the integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them” (Proverbs 11:3).