Proverbs 16:23 (ASV)

Passage

The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent; And the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

Proverbs 16:22 Understanding is a well-spring of life unto him that hath it; But the correction of fools is [their] folly.

Proverbs 16:23 The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips.

Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are [as] a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Proverbs 16:25 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "heart", "wise", "instructeth", "mouth", "addeth", "learning", and "lips". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "heart" and "wise", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "Understanding is a well-spring of life unto..." into verse 24's "Pleasant words are as a honeycomb Sweet...", so "heart" and "wise" 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 "heart" and "wise" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.