Berean Standard Bible
Proverbs 15:4
4A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
Proverbs 15:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
- New International Version (NIV)The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
- English Standard Version (ESV)A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
- New King James Version (NKJV)A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Context of Proverbs 15:4
2The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool spouts folly. 3The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good. A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit. 5A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction is prudent. 6The house of the righteous has great treasure, but the income of the wicked is trouble.
Read all of Proverbs 15Proverbs 15:4 word by word
מַרְפֵּ֣א לָ֭שׁוֹן עֵ֣ץ חַיִּ֑ים וְסֶ֥לֶף בָּ֝֗הּ שֶׁ֣בֶר בְּרֽוּחַ׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Proverbs 15:4
- Proverbs 12:18Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
- Proverbs 16:24Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
- Malachi 4:2“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.
- Proverbs 3:18She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.
- Genesis 3:22Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...”
- 1 Timothy 6:3If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching,
- Revelation 2:7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.
- Proverbs 18:8The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
- Proverbs 26:22The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
- Psalms 52:2Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit.
- Psalms 109:22For I am poor and needy; my heart is wounded within me.
Commentaries on Proverbs 15:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4A wholesome tongue is a tree of life - Here again is an allusion to the paradisiacal tree, חיים עץ ets chaiyim, "the tree of lives."Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4A wholesome tongue - literally, as in the margin, the same word as “sound” in Proverbs 14:30 (see the note). A more literal rendering would be soundness of speech. Tree of life - Compare Proverbs 3:18 note. Breach in the spirit - With the sense of vexation (compare Isaiah 65:14).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4Verse 4 A good tongue is healing to wounded consciences, by comforting them; to sin-sick souls, by convincing them; and it reconciles parties at variance.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. A wholesome tongue--(Compare Margin), pacifying and soothing language. tree of life--(Pr 3:18; 11:30). perverseness therein--cross, ill-natured language. breach ... spirit--(compare Is 65:14, Hebrew), grieves, instead of appeasing.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 15:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 15
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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