# Proverbs 17.22

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**Book:** [Proverbs](/codex/proverbs/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 20. He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief. 21. He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; And the father of a fool hath no joy.
>
> **22. A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.**
>
> 23. A wicked man receiveth a bribe out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice. 24. Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. (Proverbs 17:20-24, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 20. One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble. 21. He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.
>
> **22. A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.**
>
> 23. A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice. 24. Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth. (Proverbs 17:20-24, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 20. He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief. <sup>He that hath a froward: Heb. The froward of heart</sup> 21. He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
>
> **22. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. <sup>like: or, to</sup>**
>
> 23. A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment. 24. Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. (Proverbs 17:20-24, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 20. The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil. 21. Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.
>
> **22. A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.**
>
> 23. A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment. 24. The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool, at the end of the earth. (Proverbs 17:20-24, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from the Anomalous Humor Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-anomalous-humor-convergence/)

**Lexicon:**

- [H3824 - lebab](/codex/h3824-lebab/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.