Proverbs 18:20

From the fruit of a person’s mouth ¹  his stomach is satisfied, ²  with the product of his lips is he satisfied.

From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.

With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied; He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.

Words satisfy the soul as food satisfies the stomach; the right words on a person’s lips bring satisfaction.

Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach; good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest.

With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be full; the produce of his lips will be his in full measure.

From the fruit of the mouth one’s stomach is satisfied; the yield of the lips brings satisfaction.

A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth, From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

From the fruit of a person’s mouth ¹  his stomach is satisfied, ²  with the product of his lips is he satisfied.

¹ sn Two images are used in this proverb: the fruit of the mouth and the harvest of the lips. They are synonymous; the first is applied to the orchard and the second to the field. The “mouth” and the “lips” are metonymies of cause, and so both lines are speaking about speech that is productive.

² tn Heb “his midst.” This is rendered “his stomach” because of the use of שָׂבַע (sava’, “to be satisfied; to be sated; to be filled”), which is usually used with food (cf. KJV, ASV “belly”).

sn Productive speech is not just satisfying – it meets the basic needs of life. There is a practical return for beneficial words.