For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
Parallel translations
- WEB For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
- BSB for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips.
- NKJV For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
- NASB For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, So that they may be ready on your lips.
- NLT For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on your lips.
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
It is a delight to store wisdom inside you so it is always ready to speak rightly.
Overview
Wisdom is meant to be internalized, not just admired, so that it overflows in fitting speech. The pleasantness here points to wisdom's reward: a life shaped within and expressed without. This anticipates the new covenant promise of God's law written on the heart (Jer. 31:33), fulfilled as Christ's word dwells richly in His people (Col. 3:16).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Jer 15:16Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
- Prov 2:10When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
- Prov 8:6Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
- Ps 119:103How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
- Prov 10:21The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
- Prov 15:7The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.
- John 7:38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
- Prov 24:13–14My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
- Prov 3:17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
- Prov 16:21The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
- Heb 13:15By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
- Ps 19:10More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
- Ps 119:171My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
- Ps 119:111Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
- Ps 119:13With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
- Ps 119:162I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
- Prov 25:11A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
- Prov 10:13In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
- Job 32:18–19For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.
- Mal 2:7For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 22:18 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.