Proverbs 8:6 kjv
Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
Proverbs 8:6 nkjv
Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
Proverbs 8:6 niv
Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.
Proverbs 8:6 esv
Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right,
Proverbs 8:6 nlt
Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you.
Everything I say is right,
Proverbs 8 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 1:2-3 | To know wisdom...to perceive words of understanding; to receive instruction...righteousness, justice, equity. | Purpose of wisdom, aligning with "right things." |
| Prov 1:8 | Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching. | General call to listen to wisdom/instruction. |
| Prov 4:1 | Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction... give attention, that you may gain understanding. | Imperative to listen to sound doctrine. |
| Prov 4:7-8 | Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding... she shall bring thee to honour. | Valuing wisdom and its benefits. |
| Prov 4:24 | Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. | Contrast with "right things." |
| Prov 8:8 | All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. | Reinforces Wisdom's pure and true speech. |
| Deut 6:4 | Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! | Foundational call to "Hear" (Shema). |
| Ps 19:7-8 | The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul... The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. | God's word as righteous and excellent. |
| Ps 119:104 | Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. | Understanding from God's righteous word. |
| Isa 55:11 | So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void... | God's effective and true speech. |
| Jn 1:1-3 | In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... all things were made by him. | Christ as divine Wisdom/Word. |
| Jn 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory...full of grace and truth. | Embodiment of Wisdom in Jesus. |
| Jn 6:63 | The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. | Jesus' words are life-giving truth. |
| Jn 6:68 | Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." | Acknowledging the superiority of Jesus' words. |
| Mt 7:24 | Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man... | Hearing and obeying Christ's excellent words. |
| Lk 8:21 | But he replied, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” | Emphasis on active hearing and obedience. |
| Col 2:3 | in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. | Christ as the repository of all wisdom. |
| Eph 4:29 | Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up... | Believers' speech should reflect "right things." |
| Tit 2:7-8 | show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works...sound speech that cannot be condemned... | Sound and upright speech for believers. |
| Heb 1:1-2 | God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers...in these last days has spoken to us in His Son... | God speaks through the ultimate 'excellent' Word. |
| Jas 1:22 | But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. | Emphasis on responsive "hearing." |
| 1 Cor 1:24 | but to those who are called...Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. | Christ is the embodiment of divine Wisdom. |
| Rom 1:22 | Claiming to be wise, they became fools. | Contrast between true Wisdom and human folly. |
Proverbs 8 verses
Proverbs 8 6 Meaning
Proverbs 8:6 is a direct and authoritative call from personified Wisdom, urging listeners to heed her words. She proclaims that her utterances are not mere rhetoric, but "excellent things" – profound, noble, and preeminent truths. Furthermore, she states that "the opening of her lips" – everything she articulates – "shall be right things," signifying absolute moral rectitude, integrity, and alignment with justice. This verse establishes Wisdom's discourse as inherently superior and utterly trustworthy.
Proverbs 8 6 Context
Proverbs 8 introduces personified Wisdom, portrayed as a woman calling out publicly at the city gates, highways, and public squares (Prov 8:1-3). This immediate setting implies an open, universal invitation, contrasting with the secret, alluring calls of Folly (Prov 7). Prior to this verse, Wisdom addresses humanity directly (Prov 8:4-5), asserting that her words are plain, clear, and meant for everyone, particularly for the simple and the foolish, to gain prudence and understanding. Verse 6 initiates a description of the nature and quality of her words, laying the groundwork for her grand claims about her own origin and role in creation, and the unmatched benefits of following her instruction throughout the rest of the chapter. Historically, the audience would understand the importance of wise counsel in a community and the contrast between righteous leadership and corrupt officials, themes that resonate with Wisdom's character.
Proverbs 8 6 Word analysis
Hear (שִׁמְעוּ - shime'u): An imperative verb, commanding attentive listening, not merely passive hearing. This call often precedes significant pronouncements in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., the Shema in Deut 6:4). It implies receptiveness and a readiness to respond with obedience and understanding.
for (כִּי - ki): A conjunction that introduces the reason or explanation. It explains why the listener should heed the command to "hear." It signifies a promise or justification for the preceding imperative.
I will speak (אֲדַבֵּר - adaber): First-person singular, indicating a direct, personal, and authoritative utterance from Wisdom herself. The root (davar) implies not just uttering sounds, but expressing significant, purposeful, and often powerful words.
excellent things (נְגִידִים - ne'gidim): Derived from the Hebrew root nagid, meaning prince, leader, noble. Here, it signifies words of nobility, weightiness, prominence, or paramount importance. They are superior, outstanding, and fitting for a ruler or an exalted figure, implying substance, value, and lasting truth, far surpassing common or trivial speech.
and the opening of my lips (וּמִפְתַּח שְׂפָתַי - umiftach sefatay): A poetic parallel construction, common in Hebrew parallelism, reinforcing the idea of speech. Mifftach means "opening" or "unbarring," suggesting a deliberate, unhindered outflow of words directly from the source. Sefatay (my lips) points to the physical means of utterance, emphasizing the directness and intentionality of the communication.
shall be right things (מֵישָׁרִים - meisharim): Plural of meishar, meaning uprightness, straightness, equity, justice, rectitude. These are words that are morally correct, fair, honest, and just, free from distortion, crookedness, or deceit. They align with truth and righteousness, providing a reliable moral compass.
Words-group analysis:
- "Hear, for I will speak excellent things": This pairing links an urgent command to a compelling promise. The command to "hear" is not arbitrary but is fully justified by the superior and profound quality of what will be spoken. It’s an invitation to discern and embrace what is noble and preeminent.
- "and the opening of my lips shall be right things": This forms a parallel reinforcing the integrity and truthfulness of Wisdom's speech. The combination of "excellent things" and "right things" describes a discourse that is both profoundly meaningful (noble, superior) and morally unassailable (just, true, upright). This duality assures the listener of both the value and the reliability of Wisdom's instruction.
Proverbs 8 6 Bonus section
The nature of Wisdom's speech here provides a pre-figuring of the divine Word, ultimately embodied in Jesus Christ (Jn 1:1, Col 2:3). Christ's teachings were always "excellent" in their profound truth and ultimate authority, and perfectly "right" in their moral purity and justness, embodying all wisdom. The call to "Hear" implies not only intellectual comprehension but also active obedience, reflecting the covenant language throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Deut 6:4-5, "Hear, O Israel, and obey"). This verse also offers a strong polemic against deceitful human rhetoric and the alluring lies of those who would lead one astray. It establishes a divine standard for all true communication, whether from God or from those who genuinely teach His ways.
Proverbs 8 6 Commentary
Proverbs 8:6 serves as a foundational declaration of the inherent trustworthiness and surpassing value of Wisdom's words. It moves beyond a mere invitation to listen, presenting a rationale rooted in the very nature of what Wisdom communicates. Her speech is described in two complementary ways: it is "excellent" (ne'gidim), signifying its noble, superior, and authoritative quality, akin to princely pronouncements, conveying profound insights. Simultaneously, her words are "right" (meisharim), indicating their perfect moral rectitude, fairness, and truthfulness, free from any deception or deviation from what is just. This contrasts sharply with the manipulative and destructive words of Folly, or with the often distorted and unreliable human counsel. This verse establishes that listening to Wisdom means engaging with fundamental truths that are both high in spiritual and intellectual content and impeccably sound in moral character, providing guidance that leads directly to life and righteousness.