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New American Standard Bible
Proverbs 17:7
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Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.
Hie talke becommeth not a foole, much lesse a lying talke a prince.
Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;how much worse are lies for a ruler.
Arrogant speech isn't fitting for a fool, Much less do lying lips fit a prince.
You wouldn't expect to hear a fine speech from a fool, and you shouldn't expect lies from a ruler.
Excellent speech does not benefit a fool [who is spiritually blind], Much less do lying lips benefit a prince.
Excellent speech becometh not a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince.
It sounds strange for a fool to talk sensibly, but it's even worse for a ruler to tell lies.
Fine speech is unbecoming to a boor, and even less lying lips to a leader.
Overbearing speech becometh not a churl; much less do lying lips a prince.
Excellent speech becommeth not a foole: much lesse doe lying lippes a prince.
Faithful lips will not suit a fool; nor lying lips a just man.
Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
Fine speech is not becoming a fool, still less is false speech for a ruler.
An arrogant lip is not fitting for a fool, much less are lying lips for a noble.
Fools should not be proud, and rulers should not be liars.
Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for a ruler!
Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool, Much less lying lips to a prince.
Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler.
Fine speaking is not right for a fool. Even worse are lying lips to a ruler.
Unseemly in an unworthy man, is the lip of excellence, much more, in one of noble mind, the lip of falsehood.
Eloquent words do not become a fool, nor lying lips a prince.
Excellent speech is unbecoming to a fool, and lying lips to a righteous man.
Respected people do not tell lies, and fools have nothing worthwhile to say.
Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
Speache of aucthoritie becommeth not a foole, much lesse a lying mouth then beseemeth a prince.
Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a ruler.
Excellent speech becometh not a vile [man]; how much less do lying lips a noble!
Wordis wel set togidere bisemen not a fool; and a liynge lippe bicometh not a prince.
Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.
Arrogant speech isn't fitting for a fool, Much less do lying lips fit a prince.
Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.
Excellent speech does not become a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince.
Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.
An eloquent speach becometh not a foole, a dyssemblinge mouth also besemeth not a prynce.
We don't expect eloquence from fools, nor do we expect lies from our leaders.
Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince.
Excellent lips are not fitting for a wicked fool,Even less are lying lips for a noble man.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Excellent speech: Heb. A lip of excellency, Proverbs 26:7, Psalms 50:16, Psalms 50:17, Matthew 7:5
much: Proverbs 16:10-13, Proverbs 29:12, 2 Samuel 23:3, Job 34:12, Psalms 101:3-5
lying lips: Heb. a lip of lying, Proverbs 12:19
Reciprocal: Judges 16:7 - If they bind
Cross-References
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:
"No longer shall you be named Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
"I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.
"I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.
"And I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land where you live as a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."
God said further to Abraham, "Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.
"And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.
"I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Will a child be born to a man a hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth to a child?"
Then behold, the LORD was standing above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Excellent speech becometh not a fool,.... A wicked man. Eloquence, or a sublime grand way of speaking, a copiousness and fluency of expression, become not such; because hereby he may be capable of doing more mischief; or such a style is unsuitable to the subject of his discourse, which is nothing but folly and wickedness. The Gospel is excellent speech, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; it treats of excellent things; concerning the person, office, and grace of Christ, and salvation by him; and very unfit is a wicked man to take it into his mouth, talk of it, and declare it;
much less do lying lips a prince; they rather become a fool, as excellent speech does a prince; who neither should speak lies himself, nor encourage, but abhor them in others. The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, render it, "a just man": but the word more property signifies a liberal man, as it is rendered in Isaiah 32:8; where it stands opposed to a churl or covetous man: and some Jewish f writers think by the "fool" is meant such an one to whom a "lip of abundance" g, as it may be rendered, is very unsuitable; or to talk of his abundance, when he makes no good use of what he has for himself or others; and so, on the other hand, it is very disagreeable to the character of an ingenuous and liberal man to promise and not perform, and never intended it. It is true of such who are made a "willing" people in the day of Christ's power, Psalms 110:3; where the same word is used as here; of his volunteers; that to speak lies one to another very ill becomes them; or to receive, or to speak, or profess false doctrines; for no lie is of the truth.
f Kabvenaki in Mercer. in loc. g שפת ×תר "labium abundantiae".
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The margin renderings are more literal and give greater emphasis. What is pointed out is not the unfitness of lying lips for the princely-hearted, but the necessity of harmony, in each case, between character and speech.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Proverbs 17:7. Excellent speech becometh not a fool — This proverb is suitable to those who affect, in public speaking, fine language, which neither comports with their ordinary conversation, nor with their education. Often fine words are injudiciously brought in, and are as unbecoming and irrelevant as a cart wheel among clockwork.
