Proverbs 15:4 “A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the…”

Proverbs 15:4

A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

World English Bible

A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but deceit in it crushes the spirit.

American Standard Version

A gentle tongue is a tree of life; But perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit.

Geneva Bible 1599

A wholesome tongue is as a tree of life: but the frowardnes therof is the breaking of ye minde.

Darby Translation

Gentleness of tongue is a tree of life; but crookedness therein is a breaking of the spirit.

Young's Literal Translation

A healed tongue [is] a tree of life, And perverseness in it — a breach in the spirit.

Bible in Basic English

A comforting tongue is a tree of life, but a twisted tongue is a crushing of the spirit.

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Cross references

“A wholesome”

Proverbs 16:24 Proverbs 12:18 Malachi 4:2

Proverbs 16:24 · BSB

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 12:18 · BSB

Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Malachi 4:2 · BSB

“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.

“a tree”

Proverbs 3:18 Revelation 2:7 Genesis 3:22–24 1 Timothy 6:3

Proverbs 3:18 · BSB

She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.

Revelation 2:7 · BSB

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.

Genesis 3:22–24 · BSB

Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...”

1 Timothy 6:3 · BSB

If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching,

“a breach”

Proverbs 18:8 Proverbs 18:14 Proverbs 26:22 Psalm 52:2–4 Psalm 109:22

Proverbs 18:8 · BSB

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.

Proverbs 18:14 · BSB

The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit?

Proverbs 26:22 · BSB

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.

Psalm 52:2–4 · BSB

Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit.

Psalm 109:22 · BSB

For I am poor and needy; my heart is wounded within me.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

3The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.

5A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction is prudent.

Read Proverbs 15