Proverbs 16:21 (WEB)

Passage

The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud.

Proverbs 16:20 He who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in Yahweh is blessed.

Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.

Proverbs 16:22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly.

Proverbs 16:23 The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "wise", "heart", "shall", "prudent", "pleasantness", "lips", and "promotes". 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 heeds the Word finds prosperity..." into verse 22's "Understanding 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.