“The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom”: As in verses 11, 13, 18, 20, and 21, a part of the body is here associated with speech. “Brings forth” is literally “produces or bears fruit,” as a plant or tree does. Since this expression is figurative, it may be necessary in translation to shift to something that is straightforward. See Good News Translation. “Wisdom” may need to be expressed as wise, intelligent, or skillful words. We may translate this line, for example, “Wise words are spoken by the mouth of a good person” or “A good person speaks words that are sensible.”

“But the perverse tongue will be cut off”: “Perverse” in regard to speech is used in 2.12. See there for comments. “The tongue” is parallel with “the mouth” in the first line. “The perverse tongue” is one that speaks falsely or says things that are untrue. “Cut off” is often used in the sense of destroy. It may, however, be translated “cut out,” which refers then to the “perverse tongue”. Note Good News Translation “will be stopped.” Contemporary English Version has “deceitful liars will be silenced.” Some others say “God will shut the mouths of. . ..” Bible en français courant follows the idea of cutting out the tongue: “Liars deserve to have their tongues cut out.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .