Proverbs 18:4

Proverbs 18:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
• New International Version (NIV)The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.

Context of Proverbs 18:4

2A fool does not try to understand what is right. He only likes to tell people his own ideas. 3When a wicked person arrives, shame comes with him. And shame causes people to speak against you. The words that you speak are like the deep water of the sea. If they are wise words, they are like a cool stream. 5Do not refuse to punish wicked people. That would not be good. Also, do not punish anyone who has not done anything wrong. 6When a fool speaks, he starts an argument. He is asking for someone to beat him with a stick.

Proverbs 18:4 word by word

מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים דִּבְרֵ֣י פִי־אִ֑ישׁ נַ֥חַל נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ מְק֣וֹר חָכְמָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• of a man’sאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• deepעָמֹק‛âmôq · deepH6013
• watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
• the wellspringמָקוֹרmâqôr mâqôr · fountainH4726
• of wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• a flowingנָבַעnâba‛ · to bubbleH5042
• brookנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: riverH5158

Cross-references for Proverbs 18:4

• Proverbs 10:11The teaching of righteous people gives life, like a spring of water. But the words of wicked people hide their anger.
• Proverbs 13:14The teaching of wise people is like a spring of water that gives life. It will keep you away from death's dangerous traps.
• Proverbs 16:22Wisdom is like a spring of fresh water that gives life to those who have it. But the silly things that fools do brings them punishment.
• Proverbs 20:5A person's thoughts are like deep waters. But a wise person can bring them into the open.
• Matthew 12:34You are like the children of dangerous snakes. You cannot say good things when your thoughts are bad. When you speak, your words show what is in your mind.
• John 4:14But I can give people a different kind of water. Everyone who drinks that kind of water will never get thirsty again. The water that I give them will become like a well inside them. That well will continue to provide water that gives them life for ever with God.’
• John 7:38It says in the Bible, “God will cause streams of water to pour out from anyone who believes in me. Water that gives life will come out from inside that person.” ’
• Colossians 3:16Let Christ's message always be in your thoughts, with all the good things that it brings. Use that message to teach and to warn each other. Be very wise as you do that. And also sing all kinds of spiritual songs to praise God. Sing psalms and Christian songs. As you sing, thank God from inside yourselves.
• Colossians 4:6When you speak to people, always speak kind words. Say things that will help them. Then, when someone asks you a question, you will know how to reply.
• Psalms 78:2I will tell you something to make you wise. Then you will understand things that happened long ago.

Commentaries on Proverbs 18:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The words of a man's mouth - That is, the wise sayings of a wise man are like deep waters; howsoever much you pump or draw off, you do not appear to lessen them. The well-spring of wisdom - Where there is a sound understanding, and a deep, well-informed mind, its wisdom and its counsels are an incessant stream, חכמה מקור mekor chochmah, "the vein of wisdom," ever throwing out its healthy streams: but חיים מקור mekor chaiyim, "the vein of Lives," is the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The parallelism of the two clauses is probably one of contrast. If so, the proverb is a comparison between all teaching from without and that of the light within. “The words of a man‘s mouth” are dark as the “deep waters” of a pool, or tank (“deep waters” being associated in the Old Testament with the thought of darkness and mystery; compare Proverbs 20:5; Psalm 69:2; Ecclesiastes 7:24); but “the wellspring of wisdom is as a flowing brook,” bright and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4Verse 4 The well-spring of wisdom in the heart of a believer, continually supplies words of wisdom.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Words reflect a person's character, like water springs from the earth (see also Proverbs 10:20; 12:23; 16:23; compare James 3:10–12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Wise speech is like an exhaustless stream of benefit.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 18:4

• Quotations and Allusions
• Speaking

In the dictionaries

• Brother
• Contention
• Innermost
• Offend
• Slothful
• Snare
• Stick
• Waster
• Proverb
• Proverbs, the Book of

Commentaries on Proverbs 18

• 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