PROV 16:23 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Καρδία σοφοῦ νοήσει τὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἰδίου στόματος, ἐπὶ δὲ χείλεσι φορέσει ἐπιγνωμοσύνην·
(Kardia sofou noaʸsei ta apo tou idiou stomatos, epi de ⱪeilesi foresei epignōmosunaʸn; )

BrTr The heart of the wise will discern the things which proceed from his own mouth; and on his lips he will wear knowledge.

ULT The heart of the wise makes his mouth insightful,
⇔ and on his lips it increases learning.

UST What wise people think causes them to speak insightfully,
⇔ and what those people say causes others to learn.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
⇔ and adds learning to his lips.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET A wise person’s heart makes his speech wise
⇔ and it adds persuasiveness to his words.

LSV The heart of the wise causes his mouth to act wisely,
And he increases learning by his lips,

FBV A wise mind makes sure to say sensible things; the words spoken are persuasive.

T4T ⇔ Those who are wise think carefully before they talk,
⇔ and as a result they are able to influence/persuade others to do what is right.

LEB • The heart[fn] of the wise will make his mouth judicious, and upon his lips, it[fn] will add persuasiveness.

16:? Or “mind”

16:? Or “he”

BBE The heart of the wise man is the teacher of his mouth, and gives increased learning to his lips.

Moff Good sense makes men judicious in their talk;
⇔ it adds persuasiveness to what they say.

JPS The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

ASV The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth,
⇔ And addeth learning to his lips.

DRA The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth: and shall add grace to his lips.

YLT The heart of the wise causeth his mouth to act wisely, And by his lips he increaseth learning,

Drby The heart of the wise maketh his mouth intelligent, and upon his lips increaseth learning.

RV The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

SLT The heart of the wise shall attend to his mouth, and he shall add knowledge to his lips.

Wbstr The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

KJB-1769 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.[fn]
(The heart of the wise teacheth/teaches his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. )

16.23 teacheth: Heb. maketh wise

KJB-1611 [fn]The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lippes.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above apart from footnotes)

16:23 Heb. maketh wise.

Bshps A wyse heart ordereth his mouth wisely, and ministreth learnyng vnto his lippes.
(A wise heart ordereth his mouth wisely, and ministreth learning unto his lips.)

Gnva The heart of the wise guideth his mouth wisely, and addeth doctrine to his lippes.
(The heart of the wise guideth his mouth wisely, and addeth doctrine to his lips. )

Cvdl The herte of the wyse enfourmeth his mouth, and amendeth ye doctryne in his lyppes.
(The heart of the wise enfourmeth his mouth, and amendeth ye/you_all doctrine in his lips.)

Wycl The herte of a wijs man schal teche his mouth; and schal encreesse grace to hise lippis.
(The heart of a wise man shall teach his mouth; and shall increase grace to his lips.)

Luth Ein weises Herz redet klüglich und lehret wohl.
(A wise heart talks wise/clever and teaches probably/well.)

ClVg [Cor sapientis erudiet os ejus, et labiis ejus addet gratiam.
([Heart wise will_educate mouth his, and lips his he_will_add grace. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 10:1–22:16: This is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs

This section is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs. It has a very different structure from the longer poetic lectures of chapters 1–9. It consists mostly of individual couplets (two-line poems) that are each one verse in length. With the exception of the title (10:1a), paragraph breaks will not be indicated in the Notes or Display. You may of course choose to start each proverb as a separate paragraph in your translation.

In chapters 10–15, most of these one-verse couplets express a contrast between the two lines. One of the more common contrasts is between the righteous/wise and the wicked/foolish and the different consequences of their conduct.

In chapters 16:1–22:16, more topics are discussed. There is more emphasis on the role of the king and other leaders. In these chapters, there are few proverbs with contrasting lines. Some of the parallel lines are similar in meaning. More frequently, the second line adds to what the first line says or gives an example. Most of the verses have no obvious connection with the previous or following proverbs.UBS (page 214), Fox (page 509), McKane (page 413). Many scholars, including McKane, point out that there are some topical groupings as well as poetic connections. These include the repetition of certain words or sounds. This observation does not deny the individual nature of most of the proverbs in this Section.

Two of the types of proverbs in this section are not found in chapters 1–9. One type contains logical reasoning from the lesser to the greater. See 11:31 for a list of these proverbs. There are also several varieties of complex “better than” proverbs. The most common have a contrasting situation in each line (see 12:9). For other varieties, see 16:16, 19:1, and 21:9.

Many of the proverbs in this section refer to categories of people who share a common trait. For example, they refer to the righteous, the wise, the poor, and the lazy. In Hebrew, some verses use singular forms to refer to these groups of people. Other verses use plural forms. Still others use a combination of singular and plural. See the note on 10:30a–b for one example. For most of these verses, the Notes will not comment on the difference between singular and plural forms. Use a natural way in your language to refer to one or more people who are in the same category.

Many of the proverbs in this section express a general principle in abstract terms. They are not addressed specifically to the readers. For example, 10:2a–b says:

Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,

but righteousness delivers from death.

However, the author intended his readers to understand these proverbs as advice that they should follow. In some languages, authors or speakers give advice more directly, using pronouns such as you^(sing), you^(plur), we^(dual), or we^(incl). See the note on 10:2 for translation suggestions.

Some other headings for this section are:

Proverbs of Solomon (NIV)

The Wise Words of Solomon (NCV)

Here are many wise things that Solomon said

16:23

In this proverb, the second line expresses the result of the process in the first line.

^23aThe heart of a wise man instructs his mouth

^23band adds persuasiveness to his lips.

The overall meaning is that the mind of a wise person directs him to say what is sensible. As a result, his words increase his ability as a teacher and help his students to learn more effectively.

Compare 16:21, which has a similar theme. The words “mouth” and “lips” are both figures of speech. They represent the words that a wise person says.

16:23a

The heart of the wise man instructs his mouth

The mind of a wise person directs him to say things that are prudent/sensible,
A wise and prudent/sensible person always thinks before he speaks.

The heart of the wise man instructs his mouth: In Hebrew, this line is more literally “The heart of a wise person causes/guides his mouth to be shrewd/sensible.”Waltke (page 30) translates the Hebrew causative verb as “causes…to be prudent.” Whybray (page 248) prefers the word “guides…” Some versions make this information explicit, as it is in Hebrew. For example:

The heart of the wise lends shrewdness to speech (NJB)

From a wise mind comes wise speech (NLT)

Some other versions, such as the BSB, leave it implied. You will need to decide whether it is more effective in your language to leave this information implied, as in the BSB, or to make it explicit, as it is in Hebrew.

16:23b

and adds persuasiveness to his lips.

so what he says makes it easier for a person to learn.
As a result, he is a good teacher.

and adds persuasiveness to his lips: For the phrase adds persuasiveness, see the note on the phrase “promotes instruction” in 16:21b, which is identical in the Hebrew.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

לֵ֣ב חָ֭כָם יַשְׂכִּ֣יל פִּ֑י⁠הוּ וְ⁠עַל־שְׂ֝פָתָ֗י⁠ו יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח

heart wise instructs mouth_of,his and,to lips_of,his adds persuasiveness

The heart of the wise, his, and it here refer to these things and people in general, not a specific heart or wise person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “The hearts of wise people make their mouths insightful, and on their lips they increase learning”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לֵ֣ב

heart

See how you translated the same use of heart in [2:2](../02/02.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

שְׂ֝פָתָ֗י⁠ו

lips_of,his

See how you translated the same use of mouth in [10:11](../10/11.md) and lips in [10:18](../10/18.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח

adds persuasiveness

Here Solomon implies that what the wise says increases learning of other people who hear what the wise say. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “it increases what other people learn”

Parallel PROV 16:23

Section 10:1–22:16: This is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs

16:23

16:23a

16:23b