Proverbs 16:23

23 The ¹heart of the wise instructs his mouth And adds persuasiveness to his lips.

Proverbs 16:23 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 16:23

The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth
That is, a man that is wise in heart, as in ( Proverbs 16:21 ) ; his heart will teach his mouth what to say, when to say it, and before whom; it will prompt him to matter, that he shall not be at a loss what to say, nor how to say; it will furnish him with words and things; out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, ( Matthew 12:34 ) ; and addeth learning to his lips:
so that he does not deliver out mere words, but solid learning along with them, instructive to himself and others. The Targum is,

``and by his lips he addeth doctrine;''

or increases knowledge.

Proverbs 16:23 In-Context

21 The wise in heart will be called understanding, And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.

22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, But the discipline of fools is folly.

23 The heart of the wise instructs his mouth And adds persuasiveness to his lips.

24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb , Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

25 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 37:30; Proverbs 15:28; Matthew 12:34

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "learning"