Proverbs 4:23 (YLT)

Passage

Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it <FI>are<Fi> the outgoings of life.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 4:21 Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.

Proverbs 4:22 For life they <FI>are<Fi> to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.

Proverbs 4:23 Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it <FI>are<Fi> the outgoings of life.

Proverbs 4:24 Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,

Proverbs 4:25 Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "above", "charge", "keep", "heart", "outgoings", and "life". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "above" and "charge", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "For life they FI are Fi to..." into verse 24's "Turn aside from thee a froward mouth...", so "above" and "charge" 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 "above" and "charge" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.