Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
Lips he kisseth who is returning straightforward words.
He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.
Proverbs — Gnomic wisdom — sayings, instructions, and the binary of wisdom vs. folly. Fear of the LORD as the integrative theme; the virtuous woman of Prov 31 as the book's closing portrait of wisdom embodied.
Voices1
(3.) Where it is thus it is owing to the sinner's own slothfulness and folly. He is a sluggard, loves sleep, hates labour; and he is void of understanding, understands neither his business nor his interest; he is perfectly besotted.
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710puritan
Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread — the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.
The verses this one reaches9
A man hath joy in the answer of his mouth; And a word in due season, how good is it!
And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom the spirit of God is?
A word fitly spoken Is like apples of gold in network of silver.
How forcible are words of uprightness! But your reproof, what doth it reprove?
The plans of the heart belong to man; But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.
And Jesus said unto them, Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled greatly at him.
Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him.
And the scribe said unto him, Of a truth, Teacher, thou hast well said that he is one; and there is none other but he:
Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spake unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,
The walk8
Two steps out along the cross-reference floor, votes-ranked — destinations reached by more than one path rise (the text's own hubs). Every stop is a page, and every stop travels with its words.
Through
Proverbs 16:1The plans of the heart belong to man; But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.
leads to
There are many devices in a man’s heart; But the counsel of Jehovah, that shall stand.
A man’s heart deviseth his way; But Jehovah directeth his steps.
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand how to answer:
for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.
A man’s goings are of Jehovah; How then can man understand his way?
Through
Proverbs 15:23A man hath joy in the answer of his mouth; And a word in due season, how good is it!
leads to
The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of them that are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine…
Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.
A word fitly spoken Is like apples of gold in network of silver.
The whole web at once: see the Arc.