Proverbs 17:7
5 He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
8 A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
- KJV
- Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
- WEB
- Excellent speech isn’t fitting for a fool, much less do lying lips fit a prince.
- ASV
- Excellent speech becometh not a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince.
- DARBY
- Excellent speech becometh not a vile [man]; how much less do lying lips a noble!
- BLB
- A lip of excellence is not lovely to a fool, even less to a prince [is] a lip of falsehood.
- ÅB
- Det sømmer seg ikke for dåren å tale store ord, enn mindre for den høybårne å tale løgn.
- OTB
- Veltalende tale passer ikke for en dåre, langt mindre løgnaktige lepper for en leder.
- B1930
- Det sømmer sig ikke for dåren å tale store ord, enn mindre for den høibårne å tale løgn.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 29:12
If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
Read in contextPsalms 50:16–17
To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?
Read in contextPsalms 101:3–5
I will set no worthless thing before my eyes. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.
Read in contextProverbs 16:10–13
A divine verdict is on the lips of a king; his mouth must not betray justice.
Read in contextMatthew 7:5
You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Read in contextProverbs 12:19
Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
Read in context2 Samuel 23:3
The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,
Read in contextProverbs 26:7
Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
Read in context