Proverbs 10:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin.

NIV: Whoever winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

NASB: He who winks the eye causes trouble, And a babbling fool will come to ruin.

CSB: A sly wink of the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will be destroyed.

NLT: People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace.

KJV: He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

NKJV: He who winks with the eye causes trouble, But a prating fool will fall.

The expression "winks the eye" is a reference to secret signs and hidden messages (Proverbs 6:13). In this context, it means a signal to evil companions to join in some crime. In Psalm 35:19 David prayed: "Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause." While not exactly the same, "winking the eye" in Old Testament times sent messages similar to modern-day gang signs.

Obviously, those who create trouble lack wisdom. Just as a self-inflated, arrogant person comes to ruin (Proverbs 10:10), so eye winkers will pay a similar price for causing trouble. Fortunately, God's grace extends even to the troublemaker who repents and trusts in Jesus. Saul of Tarsus was the greatest troublemaker that persecuted the early church. He describes his life of terror in Galatians 1:13. He writes: "For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it." However, after he became a Christian by God's grace, he became an ardent preacher of the faith he had been committed to destroying (Galatians 1:23).

Proverbs 10:6–10 contrasts the blessings of righteousness with the crooked lifestyle of the wicked. The righteous person is wise, whereas the wicked person is a fool. The righteous person blesses others, whereas the wicked person conceals violence and causes trouble.

This chapter begins 375 "proverbs," which are general-case lessons or observations. These wise remarks continue the discussion of wisdom and wickedness begun in chapters 1—9. Most of the verses in chapter 10 contain a sharp contrast, with the conjunction "but" separating the lines. Often, the subject changes from verse to verse. The contrasting subjects include sons, treasure, work ethic, reputation, relationships, success, and speech.

In Proverbs 7—9 Solomon contrasts wisdom and wickedness in the symbolic persons of Lady Wisdom and Woman Folly. He calls upon his sons, or students, to choose wisdom, and he points out the benefits of choosing wisdom and the disastrous results of choosing wickedness. Chapter 10 presents vivid contrasts between wisdom and wickedness in many of life's settings. These comparisons continue into chapter 11.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.