Proverbs 18:4

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

The words of a man's mouth are [as] deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is [as] a flowing brook.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים דִּבְרֵ֣י פִי־אִ֑ישׁ נַ֥חַל נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ מְק֣וֹר חָכְמָֽה׃

Transliteration

mayim ʿămuqqîm diḇrê pî-ʾîš naḥal nōḇēaʿ məqôr ḥāḵmāh

Grammar Details

*mayim*: noun, masculine plural - waters
*ʿămuqqîm*: adjective, masculine plural - deep
*diḇrê*: noun, masculine plural construct - words of
*pî*: noun, masculine singular construct - mouth of
*ʾîš*: noun, masculine singular - man/person
*naḥal*: noun, masculine singular - stream/river/wadi
*nōḇēaʿ*: verb, qal participle, masculine singular - flowing/bubbling up
*məqôr*: noun, masculine singular construct - source/spring/fountain
*ḥāḵmāh*: noun, feminine singular - wisdom

Word Meanings

*mayim*: waters/liquid
*ʿămuqqîm*: deep/profound
*naḥal*: stream/river/wadi/torrent
*nōḇēaʿ*: flowing/bubbling up/gushing
*məqôr*: source/spring/fountain/wellspring
*ḥāḵmāh*: wisdom/skill/insight

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Prov 20:5 : 5 Counsel in the heart of man is [like] deep water; But a man of understanding will draw it out.
Prov 10:11 : 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life; But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
Prov 13:14 : 14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, That one may depart from the snares of death.
Prov 16:22 : 22 Understanding is a well-spring of life unto him that hath it; But the correction of fools is [their] folly.
Ps 78:2 : 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,
Matt 12:34 : 34 Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
John 4:14 : 14 but whosoever {G302} drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life.
John 7:38-39 : 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. 39 But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the {G40} Spirit was not yet [given]; because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Col 3:16 : 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.
Col 4:6 : 6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Prov 20:5
79%
5Counsel in the heart of man is [like] deep water; But a man of understanding will draw it out.
Prov 10:11
77%
11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life; But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
Prov 25:26
76%
26[ As] a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, [So is] a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
Jas 3:10-11
2 verses
75%
10out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet [water] and bitter?
Eccl 10:12-13
2 verses
75%
12The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
Prov 5:15-16
2 verses
74%
15Drink waters out of thine own cistern, And running waters out of thine own well.
16Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, And streams of water in the streets?
Prov 15:2
74%
2The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright; But the mouth of fools poureth out folly.
Prov 16:22-23
2 verses
74%
22Understanding is a well-spring of life unto him that hath it; But the correction of fools is [their] folly.
23The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips.
Prov 18:3
74%
3When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, And with ignominy [cometh] reproach.
Prov 10:31
73%
31The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom; But the perverse tongue shall be cut off.
Ps 37:30
73%
30The mouth of the righteous talketh of wisdom, And his tongue speaketh justice.
Prov 2:6
72%
6For Jehovah giveth wisdom; Out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding:
Prov 27:19
72%
19As in water face [answereth] to face, So the heart of man to man.
Prov 15:4
72%
4A gentle tongue is a tree of life; But perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit.
Prov 10:19-21
3 verses
72%
19In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; But he that refraineth his lips doeth wisely.
20The tongue of the righteous is [as] choice silver: The heart of the wicked is little worth.
21The lips of the righteous feed many; But the foolish die for lack of understanding.
Prov 15:23-24
2 verses
72%
23A man hath joy in the answer of his mouth; And a word in due season, how good is it!
24To the wise the way of life [goeth] upward, That he may depart from Sheol beneath.
Prov 18:20-21
2 verses
72%
20A man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Prov 12:18
72%
18There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a sword; But the tongue of the wise is health.
Prov 10:14
71%
14Wise men lay up knowledge; But the mouth of the foolish is a present destruction.
Prov 18:6-7
2 verses
71%
6A fool's lips enter into contention, And his mouth calleth for stripes.
7A fool's mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
Job 28:4
71%
4He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; They are forgotten of the foot; They hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.
Prov 16:10
71%
10A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.
Prov 15:7
71%
7The lips of the wise disperse knowledge; But the heart of the foolish [doeth] not so.
Job 38:16
71%
16Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
Song 4:15
71%
15[ Thou art] a fountain of gardens, A well of living waters, And flowing streams from Lebanon.
Prov 25:11
71%
11A word fitly spoken Is [like] apples of gold in network of silver.
Prov 12:14
70%
14A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth; And the doings of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.
Prov 20:15
70%
15There is gold, and abundance of rubies; But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
Prov 14:3
70%
3In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for [his] pride; But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
Job 26:4
70%
4To whom hast thou uttered words? And whose spirit came forth from thee?
Prov 4:5
70%
5Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
Prov 17:14
70%
14The beginning of strife is [as] when one letteth out water: Therefore leave off contention, before there is quarrelling.
Prov 3:20
70%
20By his knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.
Matt 15:18
70%
18But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man.
Prov 4:24
70%
24Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.
Prov 22:14
70%
14The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: He that is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall therein.
Luke 6:45
70%
45The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil [man] out of the evil [treasure] {G846} {G2588} bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Ps 49:3
70%
3My mouth shall speak wisdom; And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
Job 34:3
69%
3For the ear trieth words, As the palate tasteth food.
Eccl 9:17
69%
17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
Prov 15:28
69%
28The heart of the righteous studieth to answer; But the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.