Proverbs 21:23

Proverbs 21:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
• New International Version (NIV)Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.

Context of Proverbs 21:23

21If you are kind and faithful, you will live a long life! Other people will respect you and they will be kind to you. 22A wise person can win against a city that is full of strong men. He can destroy the strong place that they trust to keep them safe. If you want to keep away from trouble, always be careful about what you say. 24If you are proud, people will call you ‘Boaster’, because you think that you are better than all other people. 25Lazy people want many things but they refuse to work, so they are killing themselves.

Proverbs 21:23 word by word

שֹׁמֵ֣ר פִּ֭יו וּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ שֹׁמֵ֖ר מִצָּר֣וֹת נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whoso keepethשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• his mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• and his tongueלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongueH3956
• his soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
• from troublesצָרָהtsârâh · distressH6869

Cross-references for Proverbs 21:23

• Proverbs 10:19If you talk too much, you will soon do something wrong. But if you are wise, you will stop talking.
• Proverbs 12:13The lies of evil people put them in trouble. But righteous people escape from trouble.
• Proverbs 13:3Someone who thinks before he speaks will keep his life safe. But someone who talks too much will destroy himself.
• Proverbs 17:27A wise person does not talk too much. Anyone who keeps quiet shows that he understands things.
• Proverbs 18:21Words have the power to bring life or death. So be careful if you talk a lot!
• James 1:26Maybe some of you think that you are serving God well. But if you also say bad things about people, you do not serve God well at all. You are doing something bad even when you think you are doing good things.
• James 3:2We all make many mistakes. So, if someone never says anything that is bad, that person is completely good. It shows that he has authority over his whole body.

Commentaries on Proverbs 21:23

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23Verse 23 It is our great concern to keep our souls from being entangled and disquieted.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. (Compare Pr 13:2, 3; Jas 3:6-10).Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 21:23

• Prudence
• Speaking
• Tongue

In the dictionaries

• Mind
• Ponder
• Toss
• Proverb
• Proverbs, the Book of

Commentaries on Proverbs 21

• 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