Proverbs 5:2 kjv
That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
Proverbs 5:2 nkjv
That you may preserve discretion, And your lips may keep knowledge.
Proverbs 5:2 niv
that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.
Proverbs 5:2 esv
that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge.
Proverbs 5:2 nlt
Then you will show discernment,
and your lips will express what you've learned.
Proverbs 5 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 2:10-12 | "For wisdom will enter your heart... discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you..." | Wisdom brings discretion and protection |
| Prov 4:7 | "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom..." | Emphasizes the supreme value of acquiring wisdom |
| Prov 4:23 | "Guard your heart above all else, for everything you do flows from it." | Connects guarding heart (source of discretion) |
| Prov 6:23 | "For the commandment is a lamp... reproofs of instruction are the way of life." | Instruction provides light and guidance |
| Prov 8:12 | "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion." | Wisdom's close relation to discretion & knowledge |
| Prov 10:8 | "The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin." | Wisdom leads to obeying, fools speak nonsense |
| Prov 10:19 | "When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent." | Prudence involves guarding lips from excessive speech |
| Prov 13:3 | "Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin." | Directly links guarding lips with preserving life |
| Prov 14:15 | "The simple believes everything, but the prudent man considers his steps." | Discretion helps one be careful in actions |
| Prov 15:2 | "The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly." | Wise speech is about imparting knowledge |
| Prov 15:28 | "The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil." | Pondering speech demonstrates discretion |
| Prov 16:23 | "The heart of the wise makes his speech prudent and adds persuasiveness to his lips." | Internal wisdom shapes careful speech |
| Prov 19:8 | "Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good." | Value of understanding (knowledge/discretion) |
| Ps 34:13 | "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit." | General command to guard lips |
| Matt 12:34 | "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." | Heart's content influences what lips keep |
| Eph 4:29 | "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up..." | Speaking that which builds up (knowledge) |
| Col 4:6 | "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer..." | Gracious and wise speech, linked to knowledge |
| Jas 1:19 | "let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak..." | Discretion in speech |
| Jas 3:2 | "For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man..." | Emphasizes importance of control over speech |
| Titus 2:6-8 | "Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled... sound in speech that cannot be condemned..." | Calls for self-control and sound, blameless speech |
| 1 Pet 3:15 | "...always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope..." | Maintaining and speaking knowledge of faith |
| Jude 1:10 | "...they scoff at whatever they do not understand; and what they do understand by instinct like unreasoning animals, these things corrupt them." | Lack of knowledge leads to corruption |
Proverbs 5 verses
Proverbs 5 2 Meaning
Proverbs 5:2 instructs a young man to actively cultivate and guard discretion, and to carefully maintain knowledge through his speech. This is presented as essential preparation for discerning and resisting moral temptations, particularly those related to the "strange woman" or adulteress, which is the primary warning throughout Proverbs chapter 5. It emphasizes the need for both internal discernment and the outward expression and preservation of truth.
Proverbs 5 2 Context
Proverbs 5:2 is part of a father's urgent counsel to his son, predominantly concerning the grave dangers of sexual immorality, specifically the seductive "strange woman" (also called the adulteress or foreign woman). Chapter 5 immediately follows a general exhortation to seek wisdom and understanding (Prov 4). This verse acts as a foundational premise: for the son to successfully navigate the intense temptations described later in the chapter (Prov 5:3-14), he must first be armed with internal discernment (discretion) and the capacity to articulate and adhere to sound truth (knowledge through his lips). Without these safeguards, the warnings and instructions that follow would be in vain. The chapter moves from the appeal for wisdom, to the description of the adulteress's peril, to the destructive consequences of infidelity, concluding with a call to faithfulness in marriage. Historically, wisdom literature aimed to equip young men for moral and successful lives within the covenant community, contrasting divine wisdom with the foolishness of those who deviated from God's path, a subtle polemic against any societal or foreign influence that promoted licentiousness over the Creator's design for relationships.
Proverbs 5 2 Word analysis
- That thou mayest / lema’an (לְמַעַן): A Hebrew particle indicating purpose or result. It signifies "in order that" or "so that." The actions of listening and paying attention (from Prov 5:1) are directed toward a specific end: the cultivation and protection of wisdom and truth.
- regard / shamar (שׁמר): To watch, guard, keep, observe, preserve. This word implies a diligent, active, and protective attentiveness. It's not passive awareness but a deliberate act of watching over something precious, guarding it against harm or loss. In this context, it refers to the careful internal cultivation and protection of one's ability to discern right from wrong.
- discretion / mezimmah (מְזִמָּה): Prudence, thought, discretion, purpose, evil plan. The word can carry both positive and negative connotations depending on the context. Here, it is unequivocally positive, referring to foresight, sound judgment, planning, and moral prudence – the ability to devise and pursue wise, moral courses of action. It signifies thoughtful deliberation and wise planning.
- and that thy lips may keep / ve’sifteka yishmoru (וְשִׂפְתוֹתֶיךָ יִשְׁמֹרוּ):
- thy lips: A metonymy for speech or communication. The lips are the instrument through which words and expressions are conveyed, signifying the outward expression of inner thoughts and intentions.
- may keep / natsar (נָצַר): To guard, watch, preserve, keep watch over, hedge about. Similar in meaning to shamar but often emphasizing the guarding or protecting of something already possessed or committed. It implies protecting and maintaining knowledge by careful utterance or by speaking the truth when required.
- knowledge / da'at (דַּעַת): Knowledge, understanding, discernment, wisdom. In a biblical sense, it often refers to more than mere factual information; it's a moral and spiritual discernment, a deep acquaintance with truth, wisdom, and God's ways. Here, it refers to a moral and intellectual grasp of what is right and true.
- "That thou mayest regard discretion": This phrase highlights the crucial act of intentionally fostering moral foresight and sound judgment within oneself. It implies that discretion is not an automatic trait but one that must be actively valued, pursued, and protected as a vital aspect of one's character, enabling clear moral choices. It refers to an inward moral compass and the thoughtful processes that lead to wise decisions.
- "and that thy lips may keep knowledge": This second phrase emphasizes the outward manifestation of this inner wisdom. "Keeping knowledge" through the lips means to preserve it through careful, truthful, and wise speech, perhaps by proclaiming it, defending it, or refraining from speech that would betray it. It means speaking truth and understanding in a way that demonstrates one possesses true moral knowledge and acts to protect and propagate it. It guards against corrupt speech that undermines truth and morality.
Proverbs 5 2 Bonus section
The juxtaposition of shamar ("regard discretion") and natsar ("keep knowledge") might subtly suggest that discretion is something one guards for oneself (an internal faculty), while knowledge is something one guards with their lips (an external manifestation, protecting and maintaining truth publicly or in communication). Both verbs denote active protection, underscoring that these virtues are not passively acquired but are the result of conscious effort. The emphasis on the "lips" reminds us that wisdom is not merely contemplative but has practical outworking in speech, which often serves as a key indicator of one's internal state and convictions. This verse implies that resisting evil starts with disciplined thought and disciplined speech.
Proverbs 5 2 Commentary
Proverbs 5:2 serves as an introductory mandate, urging the diligent cultivation of inner discretion and the careful maintenance of truth through one's words. These twin virtues, intrinsic moral judgment (mezimmah) and articulated wisdom (da'at), are presented as indispensable safeguards against the impending temptations detailed throughout the chapter. One's inward capacity for wise judgment must be continually "regarded" or protected, preventing foolish thoughts from taking root. Simultaneously, one's external communication—"lips"—must "keep" or preserve knowledge, ensuring that spoken words align with truth and are not swayed by deceptive influences. It underlines that moral integrity requires both keen internal discernment and responsible, truth-affirming communication. This foundational self-governance provides the spiritual and practical armor necessary to withstand the seductive lure of the immoral.