Proverbs 15:23 (DBY)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Proverbs 15:21 Folly is joy to him that is void of sense; but a man of understanding regulateth his walk.

Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed; but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

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

Proverbs 15:24 The path of life is upwards for the wise, that he may depart from Sheol beneath.

Proverbs 15:25 Jehovah plucketh up the house of the proud; but he establisheth the boundary 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 "Without counsel purposes are disappointed but in..." into verse 24's "The path of life is upwards for...", 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.