Proverbs 15:23 (ASV)

Passage

A man hath joy in the answer of his mouth; And a word in due season, how good is it!

Nearby Context

Proverbs 15:21 Folly is joy to him that is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding maketh straight his going.

Proverbs 15:22 Where there is no counsel, purposes are disappointed; But in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

Proverbs 15:23 A man hath joy in the answer of his mouth; And a word in due season, how good is it!

Proverbs 15:24 To the wise the way of life [goeth] upward, That he may depart from Sheol beneath.

Proverbs 15:25 Jehovah will root up the house of the proud; But he will establish the border of the widow.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "hath", "answer", "mouth", "word", "season", and "good". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "hath" and "answer", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "Where there is no counsel purposes are..." into verse 24's "To the wise the way of life...", so "hath" and "answer" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "hath" and "answer" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.