Proverbs 16:21 (LSB)

Passage

The wise in heart will be called understanding, And sweetness of lips increases learning.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:19 It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 16:20 He who considers the word will find good, And how blessed is he who trusts in Yahweh.

Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart will be called understanding, And sweetness of lips increases learning.

Proverbs 16:22 Insight is a fountain of life to one who has it, But the discipline of ignorant fools is folly.

Proverbs 16:23 The heart of the wise gives insight to his mouth And increases learning to his lips.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "He who considers the word will find..." into verse 22's "Insight is a fountain of life to...", so "called" 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 "called" and "wise" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.