Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.
Parallel translations
- WEB Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
- KJV Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
- NKJV Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
- NASB Oil and perfume make the heart glad, And a person’s advice is sweet to his friend.
- NLT The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.
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
Just as fragrances delight the senses, heartfelt counsel from a friend gladdens the soul. It commends the sweetness of wise, sincere advice.
Overview
Comparing perfume and incense to a friend's earnest counsel, the proverb celebrates the joy of receiving genuine, loving guidance. Wisdom is meant to be shared in community, sharpening and refreshing one another. Such faithful counsel reflects the fellowship believers share in Christ, who calls His people friends and shares with them the words of the Father (John 15:15).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Prov 16:23–24The heart of the wise man instructs his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
- Prov 16:21The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant speech promotes instruction.
- Ps 23:5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
- Ps 104:15wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil that makes his face to shine, and bread that sustains his heart.
- Prov 15:23A man takes joy in a fitting reply—and how good is a timely word!
- 2 Cor 2:15–16For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
- Song 4:10How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! Your love is much better than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than all spices.
- Song 3:6Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, scented with myrrh and frankincense from all the spices of the merchant?
- John 12:3Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
- Ps 45:7–8You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you above your companions with the oil of joy.
- Ps 133:2It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard over the collar of his robes.
- Judg 9:9But the olive tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my oil that honors both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’
- Song 1:3The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens adore you.
- Prov 7:17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
- Ezra 10:2–4Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel.
- Acts 28:15The brothers there had heard about us and traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and gave thanks to God.
- 1 Sam 23:16–17And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God,
- Exod 18:17–24But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 27:9 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.