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Friday, January 10th, 2025
Friday after Epiphany
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Read the Bible

New Century Version

Proverbs 18:4

Spoken words can be like deep water, but wisdom is like a flowing stream.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Quotations and Allusions;   Speaking;   The Topic Concordance - Speech/communication;   Wisdom;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Brooks;   Fountains and Springs;   Water;   Wells;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Water;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Old Testament (Ii. Christ as Student and Interpreter of).;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Brook;   Wellspring;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Wellspring;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Deep;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The words of a mans mouth are like deepe waters, and the welspring of wisdome is like a flowing riuer.
Christian Standard Bible®
The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters,a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.
Hebrew Names Version
The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
Easy-to-Read Version
Words from wise people are like water bubbling up from a deep well—the well of wisdom.
Amplified Bible
The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters [copious and difficult to fathom]; The fountain of [mature, godly] wisdom is like a bubbling stream [sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving].
American Standard Version
The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is as a flowing brook.
Contemporary English Version
Words of wisdom are a stream that flows from a deep fountain.
Complete Jewish Bible
The words of a man's mouth are deep water, a gushing torrent, a fountain of wisdom.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters; a flowing brook, a fountain of wisdom.
King James Version (1611)
The words of a mans mouth, are as deepe waters, and the well-spring of wisedome as a flowing brooke.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A word in the heart of a man is a deep water, and a river and fountain of life spring forth.
English Revised Version
The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters; the wellspring of wisdom is as a flowing brook.
Berean Standard Bible
The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
Lexham English Bible
Deep waters are words of the mouth of a man; a gushing stream is a fountain of wisdom.
Literal Translation
The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters, the fountain of wisdom like a flowing stream.
New English Translation
The words of a person's mouth are like deep waters, and the fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
New King James Version
The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.
New Living Translation
Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.
New Life Bible
The words of a man's mouth are deep waters. Wisdom comes like a flowing river making a pleasant noise.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Deep waters, are the words of a man's mouth, - a bubbling brook, the well-spring of wisdom.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Words from the mouth of a man are as deep water: and the fountain of wisdom is an overflowing stream.
George Lamsa Translation
The words of a mans mouth are like deep waters; and the fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
Good News Translation
A person's words can be a source of wisdom, deep as the ocean, fresh as a flowing stream.
New American Standard Bible
The words of a person's mouth are deep waters; The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
King James Version
The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The wordes of a [wyse] mans mouth are lyke deepe waters: and the well of wisdome is like a full streame.
New Revised Standard
The words of the mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a gushing stream.
Darby Translation
The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, [and] the fountain of wisdom is a gushing brook.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Deep watir is the wordis of the mouth of a man; and a stronde fletinge ouer is the welle of wisdom.
Young's Literal Translation
Deep waters [are] the words of a man's mouth, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
World English Bible
The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
Revised Standard Version
The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a gushing stream.
Update Bible Version
The words of a man's mouth are [as] deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is [as] a flowing brook.
Webster's Bible Translation
The words of a man's mouth [are as] deep waters, [and] the well-spring of wisdom [as] a flowing brook.
Bible in Basic English
The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters: the fountain of wisdom is like a flowing stream.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The wordes of a mas mouth are like depe waters, and the well of wy?dome is like a full streame.
THE MESSAGE
Many words rush along like rivers in flood, but deep wisdom flows up from artesian springs.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
Legacy Standard Bible
The words of a man's mouth are deep waters;The fountain of wisdom is a flowing brook.

Contextual Overview

4 Spoken words can be like deep water, but wisdom is like a flowing stream.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

words: Proverbs 10:11, Proverbs 13:14, Proverbs 16:22, Proverbs 20:5, Matthew 12:34, John 4:14, John 7:38, John 7:39, Colossians 3:16, Colossians 4:6

the wellspring: Psalms 78:2

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 9:2 - all Proverbs 18:21 - Death Matthew 13:52 - which

Cross-References

Genesis 18:5
and I will get some bread for you so you can regain your strength. Then you may continue your journey." The three men said, "That is fine. Do as you said."
Genesis 18:15
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, "I didn't laugh." But the Lord said, "No. You did laugh."
Genesis 19:2
Lot said, "Sirs, please come to my house and spend the night. There you can wash your feet, and then tomorrow you may continue your journey." The angels answered, "No, we will spend the night in the city's public square."
Genesis 24:32
So Abraham's servant went into the house. After Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and food, he gave water to Abraham's servant so he and the men with him could wash their feet.
Genesis 43:24
The servant led the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave their donkeys food to eat.
1 Samuel 25:41
Abigail bowed facedown on the ground and said, "I am your servant. I'm ready to serve you and to wash the feet of my master's servants."
Luke 7:44
Then Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.
1 Timothy 5:10
She must be known for her good works—works such as raising her children, welcoming strangers, washing the feet of God's people, helping those in trouble, and giving her life to do all kinds of good deeds.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The words of a man's mouth [are as] deep waters,.... The words of a great and mighty man; of an excellent and valuable man, as Jarchi; or of a wise man, as Aben Ezra. The doctrines which such a man has imbibed, and his heart is full of and his mouth utters, are like to "waters", pure, purifying, and refreshing; to "deep waters", which make no noise, and cannot be easily fathomed: such are the deep mysteries of grace, the wisdom of God in a mystery, spoken among them that are perfect; of which a good man makes no boast, but humbly declares; out of the abundance of his heart, his mouth speaks;

[and] the wellspring of wisdom [as] a flowing brook; there is a spring of spiritual wisdom and knowledge in him; a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life; and from thence it flows freely and constantly; communicating itself liberally unto others, and ministering grace to the hearers, for their edification.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The parallelism of the two clauses is probably one of contrast. If so, the proverb is a comparison between all teaching from without and that of the light within. “The words of a man’s mouth” are dark as the “deep waters” of a pool, or tank (“deep waters” being associated in the Old Testament with the thought of darkness and mystery; compare Proverbs 20:5; Psalms 69:2; Ecclesiastes 7:24); but “the wellspring of wisdom is as a flowing brook,” bright and clear. The verse presents a contrast like that of Jeremiah 2:13.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 18:4. The words of a man's mouth — That is, the wise sayings of a wise man are like deep waters; howsoever much you pump or draw off, you do not appear to lessen them.

The well-spring of wisdom — Where there is a sound understanding, and a deep, well-informed mind, its wisdom and its counsels are an incessant stream, מקור חכמה mekor chochmah, "the vein of wisdom," ever throwing out its healthy streams: but מקור חיים mekor chaiyim, "the vein of LIVES," is the reading of eight of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and is countenanced by the Septuagint, πηγη ζωης, "the fountain of life." And so the Arabic, [Arabic]. This is the more likely to be the true reading, because the figure of the heart propelling the blood through the great aorta, to send it to all parts of the animal system, is a favourite with Solomon, as it was with his father, David. Psalms 36:9; "Proverbs 10:11", &c.


 
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