Proverbs 21:23

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

King James Version · Read in your translation · Open the Explore console

Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
keepeth	שֹׁמֵ֣ר sho.Mer	H8104	properly · verb, qal active participle, masculine singular absolute
mouth	פִּ֭יו piv	H6310	the mouth (as the means of blowing) · noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
tongue	וּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ u.le.sho.No	H3956	the tongue (of man or animals) · conjunction + noun, common both genders singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
keepeth	שֹׁמֵ֖ר sho.Mer	H8104	properly · verb, qal active participle, masculine singular absolute
soul	נַפְשֽׁוֹ naf.Sho	H5315	properly · noun, common feminine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
troubles	מִצָּר֣וֹת mi.tza.Rot	H6869	tightness (i.e. figuratively · preposition + noun, common feminine plural absolute

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Proverbs 13:3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 17:27-28 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
Proverbs 12:13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.
Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
James 3:2-13 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 21:23

Note, 1. It is our great concern to keep our souls from straits, being entangled in snares and perplexities, and disquieted with troubles, that we may preserve the possession and enjoyment of ourselves and that our souls may be in frame for the service of God. 2. Those that would keep their souls must keep a watch before the door of their lips, must keep the mouth by temperance, that no forbidden fruit go into it, no stolen waters, that nothing be eaten or drunk to excess; they must keep the tongue also, that no forbidden word go out of the door of the lips, no corrupt communication. By a constant watchfulness over our words we shall prevent abundance of mischiefs which an ungoverned tongue…

Read the whole note in the console

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 21:23

(Compare Pro 13:2-3; Jam 3:6-10).

John Gill on Proverbs 21:23

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue,.... Guards the one and bridles the other; is careful of what he says, that it is truth, and without dissimulation and guile; and is not injurious to the characters of men, and is not offensive and provoking; who abstains from ill and wrathful language, and which tends to stir up wrath and contention. Aben Ezra distinguishes between the mouth and tongue, and interprets it, that keeps his mouth from eating, that is, immoderately and intemperately; and his tongue from speaking evil: but it is best to understand both of the same thing, of speech or language, which when a man is careful of, he keepeth his soul from troubles; his conscience clear of guilt a…

Read the whole note in the console

Keil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 21:23

23 He that guardeth his mouth and his tongue, Keepeth his soul from troubles. Pro 13:3 resembles this. He guardeth his mouth who does not speak when he does better to be silent; and he guardeth his tongue who says no more than is right and fitting. The troubles comprehend both external and internal evils, hurtful incidents and (נפשׁ) צרות לבב, Psa 25:17; Psa 31:8, i.e., distress of conscience, self-accusation, sorrow on account of the irreparable evil which one occasions.

The Church Fathers

Gregory said, 'God asks three things of anyone who is baptized: to keep the true faith with all his soul and all his might; to control his tongue; to be chaste in his body.'
— Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks

Pambo said to Antony, 'What shall I do?' Antony said, 'Do not trust in your own righteousness. Do not go on sorrowing over a deed that is past. Keep your tongue and your belly under control.'
— Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Prudence · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Speaking · WISDOM IN — WISDOM IN
Tongue · Restrained by wisdom — Restrained by wisdom

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Proverbs 21:23

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 21:23

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 21:23

John Gill on Proverbs 21:23

Keil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 21:23

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Proverbs 21:23

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 21:23

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 21:23

John Gill on Proverbs 21:23

Keil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 21:23

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Proverbs 21:22

Rashi on Proverbs 21:22