Proverbs 22:18 (GNV)

Passage

For it shalbe pleasant, if thou keepe them in thy bellie, and if they be directed together in thy lippes.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 22:16 Hee that oppresseth the poore to increase him selfe, and giueth vnto the riche, shall surely come to pouertie.

Proverbs 22:17 Incline thine eare, and heare the wordes of the wise, and apply thine heart vnto my knowledge.

Proverbs 22:18 For it shalbe pleasant, if thou keepe them in thy bellie, and if they be directed together in thy lippes.

Proverbs 22:19 That thy confidence may be in the Lord, I haue shewed thee this day: thou therefore take heede.

Proverbs 22:20 Haue not I written vnto thee three times in counsels and knowledge,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "shalbe", "pleasant", "thou", "keepe", "bellie", "directed", "together", and "lippes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "shalbe" and "pleasant", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "Incline thine eare and heare the wordes..." into verse 19's "That thy confidence may be in the...", so "shalbe" and "pleasant" 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 "shalbe" and "pleasant" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.