The message of this saying is that a kind word cheers up a depressed person.

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down”: “Anxiety” is normally fear or worry about something in the future. New Revised Standard Version has revised “man’s heart” to “the human heart.” “Weighs . . . down” is literally “bows him down” in the sense of causing the person to become depressed or dejected. Some translations render this line idiomatically; for example, “When a person is worried this makes his thinking [or, insides] heavy.”

“But a good word makes him glad”: “Good” in this context has the sense of “reassuring,” “encouraging,” or “helpful.” In many languages “a good word” must be expanded; for example, “the good talk of a friend” or “if someone gives good talk to a neighbor. . ..” “Makes him glad” is rendered in many modern versions by an expression equivalent to “cheers him up.” See Good News Translation.

In some languages this saying may be expressed, for example, “Worrying about what will happen makes you feel bad, but an encouraging word from somebody can warm your heart.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .