Proverbs 15:23 (YLT)

Passage

Joy <FI>is<Fi> to a man in the answer of his mouth, And a word in its season--how good!

Nearby Context

Proverbs 15:21 Folly is joy to one lacking heart, And a man of intelligence directeth <FI>his<Fi> going.

Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel <FI>is<Fi> the making void of purposes, And in a multitude of counsellors it is established.

Proverbs 15:23 Joy <FI>is<Fi> to a man in the answer of his mouth, And a word in its season--how good!

Proverbs 15:24 A path of life <FI>is<Fi> on high for the wise, To turn aside from Sheol beneath.

Proverbs 15:25 The house of the proud Jehovah pulleth down, And He setteth up the border of the widow.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "answer", "mouth", "word", "season--how", and "good". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "answer" and "mouth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "Without counsel FI is Fi the making..." into verse 24's "A path of life FI is Fi...", so "answer" and "mouth" 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 "answer" and "mouth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.