Proverbs 10:18
Proverbs 10:18
“He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →One who hides hatred behind lies or spreads slander is foolish.
Context
The proverb identifies foolishness with the practice of concealing hatred through lies and spreading harmful falsehoods.
What Does Proverbs 10:18 Mean?
Hiding hatred with lying lips means covering inner malice with false words—a deceptive attempt to mask true intentions. This duplicity compounds the wrong by adding falsehood to malice.
Speaking slander—making false accusations or spreading damaging lies about others—is also foolish. Both forms of deception (hiding hatred and uttering slander) reveal a foolish heart and ultimately expose the speaker.