Proverbs 17:20
18 A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21 A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
- KJV
- He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
- WEB
- One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.
- ASV
- He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
- DARBY
- He that hath a perverse heart findeth no good; and he that shifteth about with his tongue falleth into evil.
- BLB
- The twisted of heart shall not find good, and the turned in his tongue falls into evil.
- ÅB
- Den som er falsk i hjertet, finner intet godt, og den som er vrang i sin tale, faller i ulykke.
- OTB
- Den med et forvrengt hjerte finner intet godt, og den med en bedragersk tunge faller i trøbbel.
- B1930
- Den som er falsk i hjertet, finner intet godt, og den som er vrang i sin tale, faller i ulykke.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
James 3:6–8
The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Read in contextProverbs 10:31
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out.
Read in contextProverbs 10:10
He who winks the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will come to ruin.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 10:12
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
Read in contextProverbs 18:6–7
A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.
Read in contextPsalms 18:26
to the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.
Read in contextProverbs 6:12–15
A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,
Read in contextProverbs 10:14
The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool invites destruction.
Read in context