Hie Talke

(Proverbs 17:7 KJV)  Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

“Excellent” (3499a) “speech” (8193) is an interesting phrase to play with in translation.  The most common use of “excellent” is to refer to that which remains.  It can be the oil on a palm after the hand is turned over or fodder in the fields left for the cattle after a disaster.  “Speech” is usually translated “lips” but it also has the idea of edge.  There are many possibilities.  I like the Geneva Bible calling it “hie talke” or high talk.

We are not supposed to play the “fool” (5036).  As followers of the Most High we are not to get down in the gutter and wallow in the same filth as the pagans and apostates.  That also applies to our language.  Can Christians swear and use obscene language?  Can we be coarse and crude?  The only ban that comes to mind is taking the name of the Lord in vain, but somehow I think verses like this point out that we should have language that is special, or “hie”.

So?  We have a tendency to adopt the vocabulary of those around us.  Language does change but not always for the better.  We need to be aware of fool talk and avoid it.  If you will excuse the expression, “It is easier said than done.”