Proverbs 15:23

NETBible

A person has joy 1  in giving an appropriate answer, 2  and a word at the right time 3  – how good it is!

NIV ©

A man finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word!

NASB ©

A man has joy in an apt answer, And how delightful is a timely word!

NLT ©

Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!

MSG ©

Congenial conversation--what a pleasure! The right word at the right time--beautiful!

BBE ©

A man has joy in the answer of his mouth: and a word at the right time, how good it is!

NRSV ©

To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone, and a word in season, how good it is!

NKJV ©

A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is !

KJV
A man
<0376>
hath joy
<08057>
by the answer
<04617>
of his mouth
<06310>_:
and a word
<01697>
[spoken] in due season
<06256>_,
how good
<02896>
[is it]! {due...: Heb. his season}
NASB ©
A man
<376>
has joy
<8057>
in an apt
<6310>
answer
<4617>
, And how
<4100>
delightful
<2896>
is a timely
<6256>
word
<1697>
!
LXXM
ou
<3364> 
ADV
mh
<3165> 
ADV
upakoush
<5219> 
V-AAS-3S
o
<3588> 
T-NSM
kakov
<2556> 
A-NSM
auth
<846> 
D-DSF
oude
<3761> 
CONJ
mh
<3165> 
ADV
eiph {V-AAS-3S} kairion {A-ASN} ti
<5100> 
I-ASN
kai
<2532> 
CONJ
kalon
<2570> 
A-ASN
tw
<3588> 
T-DSM
koinw
<2839> 
A-DSM
NET [draft] ITL
A person
<0376>
has joy
<08057>
in giving an appropriate
<06310>
answer
<04617>
, and a word
<01697>
at the right time
<06256>
– how
<04100>
good
<02896>
it is!
HEBREW
bwj
<02896>
hm
<04100>
wteb
<06256>
rbdw
<01697>
wyp
<06310>
hnemb
<04617>
syal
<0376>
hxmv (15:23)
<08057>
NETBible

A person has joy 1  in giving an appropriate answer, 2  and a word at the right time 3  – how good it is!

NET Notes

1 tn Heb “joy to the man” or “the man has joy.”

2 tn Heb “in the answer of his mouth” (so ASV); NASB “in an apt answer.” The term “mouth” is a metonymy of cause for what he says. But because the parallelism is loosely synonymous, the answer given here must be equal to the good word spoken in season. So it is an answer that is proper or fitting.

3 tn Heb “in its season.” To say the right thing at the right time is useful; to say the right thing at the wrong time is counterproductive.