American Standard Version
Proverbs 4:23
23Keep thy heart with all diligence;For out of it are the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
- New International Version (NIV)Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
Context of Proverbs 4:23
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart. 22For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. 24Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee. 25Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Read all of Proverbs 4Proverbs 4:23 word by word
מִֽכָּל־מִ֭שְׁמָר נְצֹ֣ר לִבֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תּוֹצְא֥וֹת חַיִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Proverbs 4:23
- Proverbs 22:5Thornsandsnares are in the way of the perverse: He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.
- Proverbs 23:19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And guide thy heart in the way.
- Proverbs 28:26He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool; But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
- Deuteronomy 4:9Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes saw, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but make them known unto thy children and thy children’s children;
- Psalms 139:23Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts;
- Jeremiah 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?
- Mark 14:38Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
- Hebrews 12:15looking carefully lestthere beany man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;
- Proverbs 4:7Wisdomisthe principal thing; therefore get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
- Proverbs 3:21My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep sound wisdom and discretion:
- Proverbs 11:16A gracious woman obtaineth honor; And violent men obtain riches.
- Proverbs 13:3He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life; Buthe that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
- Ecclesiastes 5:13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt:
- Matthew 12:35The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
- Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings:
- Mark 7:21For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,
Commentaries on Proverbs 4:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Keep thy heart with all diligence - "Above all keeping," guard thy heart. He who knows any thing of himself, knows how apt his affections are to go astray. For out of it are the issues of life - חיים תוצאות totseoth chaiyim, "the goings out of lives." Is not this a plain allusion to the arteries which carry the blood from the heart through the whole body, and to the utmost extremities? As long as the heart is capable of receiving and propelling the blood…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Better, as in the margin, i. e., with more vigilance than men use over anything else. The words that follow carry on the same similitude. The fountains and wells of the East were watched over with special care. The heart is such a fountain, out of it flow the “issues” of life. Shall men let those streams be tainted at the fountain-head?Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-27Verses 14-27 The way of evil men may seem pleasant, and the nearest way to compass some end; but it is an evil way, and will end ill; if thou love thy God and thy soul, avoid it. It is not said, Keep at a due distance, but at a great distance; never think you can get far enough from it. The way of the righteous is light; Christ is their Way, and he is the Light. The saints will not be perfect till they reach heaven, but there they shall shine as the sun…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23In the Old Testament, the heart symbolizes the center of emotions, thoughts, and reasoning (for example, Genesis 6:5; Deuteronomy 4:29; Psalm 131:1). The heart plays a key role in the struggle between wisdom and foolishness, and between righteousness and evil (see Matthew 5:8; 13:15; John 12:40; Romans 6:17).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. with all diligence--or, "above," or "more than all," custody (compare Margin), all that is kept (compare Eze 38:7), because the heart is the depository of all wisdom and the source of whatever affects life and character (Mt 12:35; 15:19).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 4:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries