out of the mouths of babes
English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From King James Bible, Psalms 8:2, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength". (Note that mouth is singular in the Biblical verse, and that the usage of this expression differs from the modern proverbial usage.)
Proverb edit
- From the comments of children, who are honest and innocent, . . . (comes truth or wisdom).
- 1859, Oliver Wendell Holmes, chapter 1, in The Professor at the Breakfast Table:
- Not only out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, but out of the mouths of fools and cheats, we may often get our truest lessons.
- 1906, Rudyard Kipling, chapter 10, in Puck of Pook's Hill:
- Again Puck translated to Kadmiel in the strange, solemn-sounding language, and at last Kadmiel laughed.
"Out of the mouths of babes do we learn," said he.
- 1982 May 7, John J. O'Connor, “Art: TV Weekend”, in New York Times, retrieved 8 Sept 2013:
- Goldie Hawn […] insists, at times a bit too gushingly, that out of the mouths of babes will inevitably come everything spontaneous and pure in this world.
- 2010 Feb. 12, "First Graders' Valentines" (news video), Time (retrieved 8 Sept 2013):
- (CAPTION) Out of the mouths of babes, love is explained. Brooklyn first graders write and read their valentines and describe the meaning of Valentines Day.
Usage notes edit
- This expression is sometimes used as a stand-alone phrase, with the implied completion "comes truth or wisdom", and sometimes this expression is actually followed by words of that kind.
Translations edit
from the comments of children comes truth
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References edit
- “out of the mouths of babes”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.