Proverbs 12:14

12:14 A person will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words, ¹ 

and the work of his hands ²  will be rendered to ³  him.

Proverbs 18:20

18:20 From the fruit of a person’s mouth ⁴  his stomach is satisfied, ⁵ 

with the product of his lips is he satisfied.

[12:14]  ¹ tn Heb “fruit of the lips.” The term “fruit” is the implied comparison, meaning what is produced; and “lips” is the metonymy of cause, referring to speech. Proper speech will result in good things.

[12:14]  ² tn Heb “the work of the hands of a man.”

[12:14]  ³ tc The Kethib has the Qal imperfect, “will return” to him (cf. NASB); the Qere preserves a Hiphil imperfect, “he/one will restore/render” to him (cf. KJV, ASV). The Qere seems to suggest that someone (God or people) will reward him in kind. Since there is no expressed subject, it may be translated as a passive voice.

[18:20]  ⁴ 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.

[18:20]  ⁵ 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”).