For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your 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.
- KJV For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
- BSB for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on 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 15:16Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by your name, Yahweh, God of Armies.
- Prov 2:10For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
- Prov 8:6Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.
- Ps 119:103How sweet are your promises to my taste, more than honey to my mouth!
- Prov 10:21The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.
- Prov 15:7The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so with the heart of fools.
- John 7:38He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.”
- Prov 24:13–14My son, eat honey, for it is good; the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste:
- Prov 3:17Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.
- Prov 16:21The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.
- Heb 13:15Through him, then, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name.
- Ps 19:10More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.
- Ps 119:171Let my lips utter praise, for you teach me your statutes.
- Ps 119:111I have taken your testimonies as a heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.
- Ps 119:13With my lips, I have declared all the ordinances of your mouth.
- Ps 119:162I rejoice at your word, as one who finds great plunder.
- Prov 25:11A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
- Prov 10:13Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment, but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.
- Job 32:18–19For I am full of words. The spirit within me constrains 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 Yahweh of Armies.
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
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