Charles Ellicott Commentary Proverbs 14:3

"In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for [his] pride; But the lips of the wise shall preserve them." — Proverbs 14:3 (ASV)

In the mouth of the foolish (self-willed) is a rod of pride.— He suffers for his ill-judged sayings, or he punishes others with them. But this does not agree so well with what follows.

But the lips of the wise shall preserve them (the wise) from the difficulties into which the foolish fall because of their rash talk.