( ùָׂôָä , saphah', usually in the dual; Gr. ÷åῖëïò ), besides its literal sense (e.g. Isa_37:29; Son_4:3; Son_4:11; Son_5:13; Pro_24:28), and (in the original) metaphorically for an edge or border, as of a cup (1Ki_7:26), of a garment (Exodus 27:32), of a curtain (Exo_26:4; Exo_36:11), of the sea (Gen_22:17; Exo_2:3; Heb_11:12), of the Jordan (2Ki_2:13; Jdg_7:22), is often put as an organ of speech, e.g. to "open the lips," 1. to begin to speak (Job_11:5; Job_32:20), also to "open the lips" of another, i.e. ecause him to speak (Psa_51:17), and to "refrain the lips," i.e. to keep silence (Psa_40:10; Pro_10:19). So speech or discourse is said to be "upon the lips" (Pro_16:10; Psa_16:4), once "under the lips" (Psa_140:4; Rom_3:13; comp. Eze_36:3), and likewise "sinning with lips" (Job_2:10; Job_12:20; Psa_45:3), and "uncircumcised of lips," i.e., not of ready speech (Exo_6:12), also "fruit of the lips," i.e., praise (Heb_13:15; 1Pe_3:5), and, by a bolder figure, "the calves of the lips," i.e., thank-offering (Hos_14:2); finally, the motion of the lips in speaking (Mat_15:8; Mar_7:6; from Isa_29:13). By metonomy, "lip" stands in Scripture for a manner of speech, e.g. in nations, a dialect (Gen_11:1; Gen_11:6-7; Gen_11:9; Isa_19:18; Eze_3:5-6; 1Co_14:21, alluding to Isa_28:11), or, in individuals, the moral quality of language, as "lying lips," etc., i.e., falsehood (Pro_10:18; comp. 17:4, 7) or wickedness (Psa_120:2), truth (Pro_12:19); "burning lips," i.e., ardent professions (Pro_26:23); "sweetness of lips," i.e., pleasant discourse (Pro_16:22; so Zep_3:9; Isa_6:5; Psa_12:3-4). To "shoot out the lip" at any one, i.q. to make mouths, has always been an expression of the utmost scorn and defiance (Psa_22:8). In like manner, "unclean lips" are put as a represelntation of unfitness to impart or receive the divine communications (Isa_6:5; Isa_6:7). Also the "word of one's lips," i.e. communication, e.g. Jehovah's precepts (Psa_17:4; comp. Pro_23:16 : spoken of as something before unknown, Psa_81:6); elsewhere in a bad sense, i.q. lip-talk, i.e., vain and empty words (Isa_36:5; Pro_14:23), and so of the person uttering them, e.g. a man of talk, i.e., an idle talker (Job_11:2), a prating fool (Pro_10:8; comp. Lev_5:4; Psa_106:33). SEE TONGUE.