What Does 'As a Man Thinketh So Is He' Mean in the Bible?

Contributing Writer

Updated January 12, 2024

The popular phrase “as a man thinketh so is he” was written by King Solomon thousands of years ago, but it is still very true today. It was a portion of one of many proverbs he wrote during the tenth century BC, when the kingdom of Israel was still united under one ruler.

According to the first chapter of Proverbs, a proverb was written “for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair” (Proverbs 1:2-3). Some were written to give “prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young” (Proverbs 1:2-4). More than that, it offers wisdom in various situations, like our relationships with one another and our relationship with God.

When it comes to “as a man thinketh, so is he,” you will discover that this is only part of the phrase that begins the proverb. The entire phrase is “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (emphasis added). Solomon made the distinction of thinking with one’s heart instead of one’s brain for a reason in this particular proverb.

Where Is “As a Man Thinketh So Is He” In Proverbs 23?

The phrase “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” is found in Proverbs 23:7. As we will see, context is key to understanding what Solomon was trying to communicate to his readers. We often think of this verse (because we skip its second half) in a twenty-first-century sense: if we just think positive thoughts, our lives will be lighter and brighter. We will become what and how we think.

That kind of advice can more accurately be found in verses like “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

Or consider this one:

“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3)

How Does the Context Explain “As a Man Thinketh So Is He”?

The phrase “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” is found in Solomon’s discussion of how to interact with a “stingy man.” We are told, “Do not crave his delicacies, for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost.” ‘Eat and drink, he says to you, but his heart is not with you.’” In other words, the man is saying one thing, but thinking something else in his heart. And the way that he thinks will cause you to “vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.” (Proverbs 23:8)

This is very much in line with what Jesus says in Luke 6:45:

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

So, it is the heart that blesses, cheats, or condemns.

How Do Other Bibles Translate “As a Man Thinketh So Is He”?

This version is from the King James, but other versions have slightly different wording:

NIV: “. . . for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost. ‘Eat and drink,’ he says to you, but his heart is not with you.”
CSB: “. . . for as he thinks within himself, so he is. ‘Eat and drink,’ he says to you, but his heart is not with you.”
ESV: “. . . for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. ‘Eat and drink!’ he says to you, but his heart is not with you.”
The Message: “He’ll be as stingy with you as he is with himself; he’ll say, ‘Eat! Drink!’ but won’t mean a word of it.”
RSV: “. . . for he is like one who is inwardly reckoning. ‘Eat and drink!’ he says to you; but his heart is not with you.”

Interestingly, the ESV and RSV talk about “inwardly calculating” or “inwardly reckoning” rather than “thinking.” This makes the man seem much more nefarious and selfish than in some of the other translations.

What Does “As a Man Thinketh So Is He” Tell Us About The Human Brain?

Romans 12:2 tells us that the renewing of our minds can transform us. Did you know that this is physically possible? God gave the brain the ability to be changed by our thoughts.

Christian neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf explains in her book Who Switched Off My Brain? that thoughts actively change our brain and body for better or worse: “Positive attitudes cause the secretion of the correct amount [neuro] chemicals, and negative attitudes distort the chemical secretions in a way that disrupts their natural flow.”

Disrupting the natural flow has bad consequences for both the body and brain. That’s why Philippians 4:8 tells us to “think about such things.” If we can, we can affect our health and relationship with our Savior. Furthermore, we can shine the light of Jesus so that others can come to know Him. All because we took a stand to be transformed by changing our thought life (daily Bible reading is a great place to start your transformation).

What Can “As a Man Thinketh So Is He” Teach Us Today?

Examine yourself. If we look back at the proverb about a greedy man who lies from his heart, I think the first thing it can teach me is to examine the motives of my own heart. Am I a hypocrite, thinking one thing in my heart but acting/saying something completely different? Do I need to take the plank out of my eye before removing the speck from another’s? Then, in my interaction with another, I can ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what may reside in that person’s heart to make wise decisions in my relationship with them.
Think about what you’re thinking. It can also teach me to watch what I think, because my thoughts will make me the person I am, as we’ve seen from Dr. Leaf’s studies. If the foundation for most of my thinking is the word of God, and I continue to hide God’s word in my heart, I will be less likely to sin against Him and have wrong thoughts and attitudes. Though I would love to think exactly the way God does, I remember that God’s thoughts are higher than my thoughts. But I can still pray that He will give me the grace and strength to honor Him in what I think and do.
Humble thyself. As I fix my eyes on Jesus and His sacrifice for me, I can be humbled and become patient with others. I will tend to be less self-centered and greedy as I think about the torture and pain of crucifixion and separation from His Father that He undertook for me. I can ask the Holy Spirit to give me the power to think and act as He would. We can look to the fruit of the Spirit as a guide and focus on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.

Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).

This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy-to-read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. We hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in your life today.