Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
Parallel translations
- KJV Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
- BSB Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.
- ESV Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest 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 quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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 instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.
- Prov 16:21The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.
- Ps 23:5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.
- Ps 104:15wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengthens man’s heart.
- Prov 15:23Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth. How good is a word at the right time!
- 2 Cor 2:15–16For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God, in those who are saved, and in those who perish;
- Song 4:10How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine! The fragrance of your perfumes than all kinds of spices!
- Song 3:6Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spices of the merchant?
- John 12:3Mary, therefore, took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
- Ps 45:7–8You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
- Ps 133:2It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron’s beard; that came down on the edge of his robes;
- Judg 9:9“But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I stop producing my oil, with which they honor God and man by me, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’
- Song 1:3Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured out, therefore the virgins love you.
- Prov 7:17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
- Ezra 10:2–4Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.
- Acts 28:15From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God, and took courage.
- 1 Sam 23:16–17Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose, and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in God.
- Exod 18:17–24Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good.
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 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.