A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!
Parallel translations
- WEB Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth. How good is a word at the right time!
- BSB A man takes joy in a fitting reply—and how good is a timely word!
- NKJV A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!
- NASB A person has joy in an apt answer, And how delightful is a timely word!
- NLT Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
There is deep joy in giving a fitting answer, and a timely word is a great good. It matters because well-chosen, well-timed speech blesses both speaker and hearer.
Overview
The proverb celebrates the gladness of speaking the right word at the right moment. Apt speech is a gift that encourages, instructs, and heals (cf. Proverbs 25:11). This points to the perfect timing and grace of Christ's words, and calls believers to seasoned, gracious speech (Colossians 4:6).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Isa 50:4The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
- Prov 25:11–12A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
- Eph 4:29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
- Prov 16:13Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
- Prov 12:14A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him.
- Prov 24:26Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
- Eccl 3:1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
- 1 Sam 25:32–33And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 15:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.