English Standard Version
Proverbs 4:23
23Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Context of Proverbs 4:23
21Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. 22For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 24Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. 25Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
Read all of Proverbs 4Proverbs 4:23 word by word
מִֽכָּל־מִ֭שְׁמָר נְצֹ֣ר לִבֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תּוֹצְא֥וֹת חַיִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 4:23
- Proverbs 22:5Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.
- Proverbs 23:19Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.
- Proverbs 28:26Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
- Deuteronomy 4:9"Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your 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 desperately sick; who can understand it?
- Mark 14:38Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
- Hebrews 12:15See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
- Proverbs 4:7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.
- Proverbs 3:21My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion,
- Proverbs 11:16A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches.
- Proverbs 13:3Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
- Ecclesiastes 5:13There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt,
- Matthew 12:35The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
- Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
- Mark 7:21For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries