Proverbs 12:25

Anxiety ¹  in a person’s heart ²  weighs him down, ³  but an encouraging ⁴  word brings him joy. ⁵ 

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad.

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Worry weighs us down; a cheerful word picks us up.

Care in the heart of a man makes it weighted down, but a good word makes it glad.

Anxiety weighs down the human heart, but a good word cheers it up.

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.

Anxiety ¹  in a person’s heart ²  weighs him down, ³  but an encouraging ⁴  word brings him joy. ⁵ 

¹ tn The word “anxiety” (דְּאָגָה, dÿ’agah) combines anxiety and fear – anxious fear (e.g., Jer 49:23; Ezek 4:16); and for the verb (e.g., Ps 38:18; Jer 17:8).

² tn Heb “the heart of a man.”

³ tn Heb “bows it [= his heart] down.” Anxiety weighs heavily on the heart, causing depression. The spirit is brought low.

⁴ tn Heb “good.” The Hebrew word “good” (טוֹב, tov) refers to what is beneficial for life, promotes life, creates life or protects life. The “good word” here would include encouragement, kindness, and insight – the person needs to regain the proper perspective on life and renew his confidence.

⁵ tn Heb “makes it [= his heart] glad.” The similarly sounding terms יַשְׁחֶנָּה (yashkhennah, “weighs it down”) and יְשַׂמְּחֶנָּה (yÿsammÿkhennah, “makes it glad”) create a wordplay (paronomasia) that dramatically emphasizes the polar opposite emotional states: depression versus joy.