Proverbs 18:4
WEB
The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
BSB
The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
KJV
The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H4325
n-m — water, juice, urine, semen
Derivation: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
KJV: piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
n.m — waters
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
H6013
a — deep
Derivation: from 6009;
deep (literally or figuratively)
KJV: (× exceeding) deep (thing).
adj — deep
עָמֹק 17 adj. deep
1. lit.
2. = unsearchable
H1697
n-m — word, matter, spoken, thing, cause
Derivation: from 1696;
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
KJV: act, advice, affair, answer, × any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, chronicles, commandment, × commune(-ication), concern(-ing), confer, counsel, dearth, decree, deed, × disease, due, duty, effect, eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, glory, harm, hurt, iniquity, judgment, language, lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, × ought, × parts, pertaining, please, portion, power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, × (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, sign, so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, song, speech, × spoken, talk, task, that, × there done, thing (concerning), thought, thus, tidings, what(-soever), wherewith, which, word, work.
n.m — speech
דָּבָר 1439 n.m. speech, word
I. sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
II. sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
III. sg. a word, words
IV. sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
H6310
n-m — mouth, blowing, speech, edge, portion, side, according to
Derivation: from 6284;
the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to
KJV: accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), × eat, edge, end, entry, file, hole, × in, mind, mouth, part, portion, × (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, × spoken, talk, tenor, × to, two-edged, wish, word.
n.m — mouth
פֶּה 485 n.m. mouth
1.
a. mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking
b. external organ
2.
a. much oftener, as organ of speech, of man
b. as laughing; panting
c. of God
d. of idols
e. of musical instr. = sound
3. of animals; hence of edge of sword
4. mouth = opening, orifice
5.
a. extremity, end
b. = portion
6. with preps.
H376
n-m — man
Derivation: contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant);
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
KJV: also, another, any (man), a certain, champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), none, one, people, person, steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare 802.
n.m — man
אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)
H5158
n-m — stream, torrent, valley, shaft
Derivation: or (feminine) נַחְלָה; (Psalm 124:4), or נַחֲלָה; (Ezekiel 47:19; Ezekiel 48:28), from 5157 in its original sense;
a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); also a shaft (of a mine)
KJV: brook, flood, river, stream, valley.
n.m — torrent
נַ֫חַל n.m. torrent, torrent-valley, wady
H5042
v — gush forth, utter, emit
Derivation: a primitive root;
to gush forth; figuratively, to utter (good or bad words); specifically, to emit (a foul odor)
KJV: belch out, flowing, pour out, send forth, utter (abundantly).
vb — flow
[נָבַע] vb. flow, spring, bubble up, poet. and late
Qal a flowing wady
Hiph. pour out, emit, cause to bubble, belch forth
H4726
n-m — dug, source, pudenda
Derivation: or מָקֹר; from 6979;
properly, something dug, i.e. a (general) source (of water, even when naturally flowing; also of tears, blood (by euphemism, of the female pudenda); figuratively, of happiness, wisdom, progeny)
KJV: fountain, issue, spring, well(-spring).
n.m — spring
מָקוֹר n.m. spring, fountain (app. orig. well)
1. spring of water
2. fig. of eye
3. source of menstruous blood
4. = flow of blood after child-birth
H2451
n-f — wisdom
Derivation: from 2449;
wisdom (in a good sense)
KJV: skilful, wisdom, wisely, wit.
n.f — wisdom
חָכְמָה n.f. wisdom
1. skill in war
2. wisdom, in administration
3. shrewdness, wisdom
4. wisdom, prudence in religious affairs
5. wisdom, ethical and religious
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Verse 4
Proverbs 18:4
The similitudes here seem to be elegantly transposed. 1. The well-spring of wisdom is as deep waters. An intelligent knowing man has in him a good treasure of useful things, which furnishes him with something to say upon all occasions that is pertinent and profitable. This is as deep waters, which make no noise, but never run dry. 2. The words of such a man's mouth are as a flowing brook. What he sees cause to speak flows naturally from him and with a great deal of ease, and freedom, and natural fluency; it is clean and fresh, it is cleansing and refreshing; from his deep waters there flows what there is occasion for, to water those about him, as the brooks do the low grounds.