Passage

Proverbs 16.23

Book: Proverbs · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"21. The wise in heart shall be called prudent; And the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. 22. Understanding is a well-spring of life unto him that hath it; But the correction of fools is their folly."

"23. The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips."

"24. Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 25. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 16:21-25, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"21. The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction. 22. Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly."

"23. The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips."

"24. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 25. There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 16:21-25, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"21. The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. 22. Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly."

"23. The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. ^{teacheth: Heb. maketh wise}"

"24. Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 25. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 16:21-25, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"21. To the wise in heart is called, 'Intelligent,' And sweetness of lips increaseth learning. 22. A fountain of life [is] understanding to its possessors, The instruction of fools is folly."

"23. The heart of the wise causeth his mouth to act wisely, And by his lips he increaseth learning,"

"24. Sayings of pleasantness [are] a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and healing to the bone. 25. There is a way right before a man, And its latter end, ways of death." (Proverbs 16:21-25, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD

Quoted in

H3824 - lebab

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.