Proverbs 16:23The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~950 BC. Solomon's court scribes recording wisdom for future generations in Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: paternal concern for protecting future generations from foolish speech
The original word
leb (לֵב) — the inner person including mind, will, and emotions, not just feelings
Why it matters
Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs and composed 1,005 songs during his reign
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 16:23
The 'heart' here means your thought life — wisdom THINKS before speaking
Common misconceptionPeople think this means being educated makes you speak better. It's actually about letting wisdom filter your words before they leave your mouth.
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 16:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 16:23 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. The dominant emotion in this verse is growing, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include wisdom, speech. Notable phrases: heart of the wise; instructs his mouth; adds learning.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same growing
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6
“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
— Romans 10:17
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
— John 3:30
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2
“He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 16:23 mean to you, today?
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