How many times have you gotten yourself into trouble by speaking up when you should have kept your mouth shut? If we’re talking about making life work, the mouth may be the biggest single problem we have to solve.

Nine times out of ten, when we have caused a problem by something we have said, we try to convince ourselves and others that we didn’t really mean it. But we are far more likely to solve the problem by looking in the mirror and saying, That was the real me and I don’t like it.

Solomon brings up the mouth and tongue again and again because it is so crucial to the way we live our lives and get along with people. Let’s look at some of the simple life principles on speech, wealth, and work that he shares in the Book of Proverbs.