out of the mouths of babes

Idioms  

1. Young and inexperienced persons often can be remarkably wise, as in She's only six but she said, quite rightly, that Harry was afraid of the sitter—out of the mouths of babes, Mother said. This expression is a shortening and revision of expressions in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. In Psalms 8:2, God ordains strength out of the mouth of babes and sucklings; in Matthew 21:16, praise comes from this source. Later generations changed strength and praise to wisdom.

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Example Sentences

We want to hear what our fans have to say, because sometimes out of the mouths of babes come great ideas.

From Time • Apr. 10, 2014

A procession of wit and wisdom out of the mouths of babes.

From Time Magazine Archive

As the Nathan case demonstrates, what comes out of the mouths of babes is now often admissible as evidence and is more and more believed by judges and juries.

From Time Magazine Archive

A battle rages over the use of growth hormones in dairy cows 54 BEHAVIOR: Everyday Life at Ranch Apocalypse From out of the mouths of babes come tales of David Koresh 55 LIVING: U.S.

From Time Magazine Archive

The infidel of sixty years is a penitent follower of that Jesus to whom little Lucy sung her midnight song, and who out of the mouths of babes often perfects his praise.

From Mrs Whittelsey's Magazine for Mothers and Daughters Volume 3 by Whittelsey, Mrs. A. G.