the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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New Living Translation
Proverbs 17:7
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
Excellent lips are not fitting for a wicked fool,Even less are lying lips for a noble man.
Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince.
Speache of aucthoritie becommeth not a foole, much lesse a lying mouth then beseemeth a prince.
Excellent speech becometh not a vile [man]; how much less do lying lips a noble!
Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool, Much less lying lips to a prince.
An arrogant lip is not fitting for a fool, much less are lying lips for a noble.
You wouldn't expect to hear a fine speech from a fool, and you shouldn't expect lies from a ruler.
Arrogant speech isn't fitting for a fool, Much less do lying lips fit a prince.
Excellent speech becommeth not a foole: much lesse doe lying lippes a prince.
Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
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 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.
Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.
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.
Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for a ruler!
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.
Hie talke becommeth not a foole, much lesse a lying talke a prince.
Excellent speech is unbecoming to a fool, and lying lips to a righteous man.
Arrogant speech isn't fitting for a fool, Much less do lying lips fit a prince.
Overbearing speech becometh not a churl; much less do lying lips a prince.
Fine speaking is not right for a fool. Even worse are lying lips to a ruler.
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 to a fool; still less is false speech 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.
Fine speech is not becoming a fool, still less is false speech for a ruler.
Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.
Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince.
Fools should not be proud, and rulers should not be liars.
Respected people do not tell lies, and fools have nothing worthwhile to say.
Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool's lips; how much worse are lies for a ruler.
Wordis wel set togidere bisemen not a fool; and a liynge lippe bicometh not a prince.
Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.
Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.
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
So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, "I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River—
What's more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.
I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!
"I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God."
Then God said to Abraham, "Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility.
You must cut off the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between me and you.
And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants."
Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. "How could I become a father at the age of 100?" he thought. "And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?"
At the top of the stairway stood the Lord , and he said, "I am the Lord , the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and 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 יתר "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.
