King James Version

Proverbs 15:13

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

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Hebrew

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לֵ֣בlevcomfortablyלֵבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “comfortably”, the ordinary formH3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything[phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom]…שָׂ֭מֵחַsamechagladשָׂמֵחַadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “glad”, the ordinary formH8056blithe or gleeful(be) glad, joyful, (making) merry((-hearted), -ily), rejoice(-ing).יֵיטִ֣בyeytivbe acceptedיָטַבverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be accepted”, an unfinished actionH3190to be (causative) make well, literally (sound, beautiful) or figuratively (happy, successful, right)be accepted, amend, use aright, benefit, be (make) better, seem best, make cheerful, be comely, [phrase] be content, diligent(-ly), dress, earnestly, find favour, give, be glad, do (be, make) good(-ness), be (make) merry, please ([phrase]…פָּנִ֑יםpanima- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “a- fore”, the ordinary formH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…וּבְעַצְּבַתuveatsvatand in woundעַצֶּבֶתconjunction, preposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “and in wound”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6094a idol; also, a pain or woundsorrow, wound.לֵ֝בlevcomfortablyלֵבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “comfortably”, the ordinary formH3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything[phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom]…ר֣וּחַruchaangerרוּחַnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “anger”, the ordinary formH7307wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).נְכֵאָֽהnekheahbrokenנָכֵאadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “broken”, the ordinary formH5218smitten, i.e. (figuratively) afflictedbroken, stricken, wounded.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

A glad heart maketh a cheerful countenance; But by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.

Young’s Literal Translation

A joyful heart maketh glad the face, And by grief of heart is the spirit smitten.

World English Bible

A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but an aching heart breaks the spirit.

Darby Translation

A joyful heart maketh a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.

Douay-Rheims

A glad heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by grief of mind the spirit is cast down.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

When the heart rejoices the countenance is cheerful; but when it is in sorrow, the countenance is sad.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καρδίας εὐφραινομένης πρόσωπον θάλλει, ἐν δὲ λύπαις οὔσης σκυθρωπάζει.