Proverbs 16:23 Meaning and Explanation

'The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth'—the inner wisdom of a wise person guides and shapes what comes out of their mouth. The heart governs the speech; the mouth expresses what the heart knows. This is not mere technique or eloquence but the overflow of genuine understanding. A truly wise person's words are reliable because they are rooted in the heart's wisdom.

'Addeth learning to his lips'—the wise person's speech itself becomes a means of increasing learning (their own and others'). As they speak from genuine understanding, their words carry and convey learning. It's not that they have wisdom and keep it hidden; rather, that wisdom is expressed in ways that enrich what they communicate. Their lips become vehicles for the multiplication of understanding.