English Standard Version
Proverbs 22:18
18for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
Proverbs 22:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
- New International Version (NIV)for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
- New Living Translation (NLT)For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on your lips.
Context of Proverbs 22:18
16Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty. 17Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. 19That your trust may be in the Lord, I have made them known to you today, even to you. 20Have I not written for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge,
Read all of Proverbs 22Proverbs 22:18 word by word
כִּֽי־נָ֭עִים כִּֽי־תִשְׁמְרֵ֣ם בְּבִטְנֶ֑ךָ יִכֹּ֥נוּ יַ֝חְדָּ֗ו עַל־שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 22:18
- Proverbs 2:10for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
- Proverbs 3:17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
- Proverbs 24:13My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
- Psalms 19:10More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
- Psalms 119:103How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
- Jeremiah 15:16Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.
- Job 32:18For I am full of words; the spirit within me constrains me.
- John 7:38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"
- Proverbs 8:6Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right,
- Proverbs 10:13On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.
- Proverbs 15:7The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.
- Proverbs 16:21The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
- Proverbs 25:11A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
- Psalms 119:13With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
- Malachi 2:7For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
- Hebrews 13:15Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Commentaries on Proverbs 22:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee - II. The pleasure and profit which may be derived from an attentive hearing. They should be laid up in the heart-stored, treasured up within thee. This will yield high satisfaction and happiness to the soul: "For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee." 3. The man who thus attends to the teachings of wisdom shall gain an experimental knowledge of them, so as to be able to speak of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18What is “pleasant” in the sight of God and man is the union of two things, belief passing into profession, profession resting on belief.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 To these words, to this knowledge, the ear must be bowed down, and the heart applied by faith and love. To live a life of delight in God and dependence on him, is the foundation of all practical religion. The way to know the certainty of the word of truth, is to make conscience of our duty.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-21Like the prologue in the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 1:2–7) and the introductions to the individual discourses (see Proverbs 1:8–9; 2:1–11), this section starts by encouraging listening. This wisdom goes beyond practical advice; it aims to inspire trust in the Lord.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. These lessons must be laid up in the mind, and fitted--or better, "fixed" in the lips so as to be ever ready.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 22:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 22
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries