Proverbi 17:7

La Nuova Diodati

Allo stolto non si addice un buon parlare, ancor meno delle labbra bugiarde a un principe.

Parallel Translations

Riveduta Bibbia
Un parlar solenne non s’addice all’uomo da nulla; quanto meno s’addicono ad un principe labbra bugiarde!

Giovanni Diodati Bibbia
Il parlar magnifico non è decevole all’uomo da nulla; Quanto meno al principe il labbro falso!

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

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.