“From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied”: This saying is difficult to understand and is open to many interpretations. The Hebrew says literally “From the fruit of a man’s mouth his belly is satisfied.” “From the fruit of his mouth” is used in 12.14 in the form “From the fruit of his words.” See also 13.2. In those sayings “the fruit of his mouth” represents the words a person speaks, his speech. However, this verse is different in that the word “belly” is introduced. “A man’s belly” may refer to the place in the body where the food goes after being swallowed or to a person’s essential nature or inner self. “Satisfied” renders the same word as used in 12.11, where it is translated “will have plenty” and means to satisfy hunger either literally or figuratively. In 1.31 it is rendered “be sated” and means people suffer the consequences of their deeds, and it is in this latter sense that Good News Translation understands the word here.

Revised Standard Version does not mention the word “belly” in its rendering; however, New Revised Standard Version says “. . . one’s stomach is satisfied.” Understood in this way “fruit” in the first line refers to food and the satisfaction is felt in the stomach. The first line is thus seen as contrasting with the second. However, it is also possible to view the two lines as parallel, in which case the second line echoes the thought expressed in the first, and “the fruit of his mouth” refers to a person’s words or speech.

“He is satisfied by the yield of his lips”: “Satisfied” repeats the same Hebrew verb used in line 1. “The yield of his lips” is again taken as “his words” or “whatever he says.” If we take “the fruit of his mouth” and “the yield of his lips” as parallel expressions with the same meaning, then line 2 echoes completely the first line. Note that Good News Translation has, therefore, combined the two lines into one. We may render the two lines, for example, “A person’s speech will leave him satisfied and what he says will affect his life.”

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 .