Proverbs 17:7
New International Version
Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!

New Living Translation
Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler.

English Standard Version
Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.

Berean Standard Bible
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!

King James Bible
Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

New King James Version
Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool, Much less lying lips to a prince.

New American Standard Bible
Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince.

NASB 1995
Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince.

NASB 1977
Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool; Much less are lying lips to a prince.

Legacy Standard Bible
Excellent lips are not fitting for a wicked fool, Even less are lying lips for a noble man.

Amplified Bible
Excellent speech does not benefit a fool [who is spiritually blind], Much less do lying lips benefit a prince.

Christian Standard Bible
Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips; how much worse are lies for a ruler.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips; how much worse are lies for a ruler.

American Standard Version
Excellent speech becometh not a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
A trustworthy utterance is unbecoming to a fool; so is a false utterance to a righteous one.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Faithful lips will not suit a fool; nor lying lips a just man.

Contemporary English Version
It sounds strange for a fool to talk sensibly, but it's even worse for a ruler to tell lies.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Eloquent words do not become a fool, nor lying lips a prince.

English Revised Version
Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Refined speech is not fitting for a godless fool. How much less does lying fit a noble person!

Good News Translation
Respected people do not tell lies, and fools have nothing worthwhile to say.

International Standard Version
Appropriate speech is inconsistent with the fool; how much more are deceitful statements with a prince!

JPS Tanakh 1917
Overbearing speech becometh not a churl; Much less do lying lips a prince.

Literal Standard Version
A lip of excellence is not fitting for a fool, much less a lip of falsehood for a noble.

Majority Standard Bible
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!

New American Bible
Fine words ill fit a fool; how much more lying lips, a noble!

NET Bible
Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for a ruler!

New Revised Standard Version
Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a ruler.

New Heart English Bible
Arrogant speech isn't fitting for a fool, much less do lying lips fit a prince.

Webster's Bible Translation
Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

World English Bible
Excellent speech isn’t fitting for a fool, much less do lying lips fit a prince.

Young's Literal Translation
Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Better a Dry Morsel in Quietness
6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father. 7Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler! 8A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.…

Cross References
Psalm 31:18
May lying lips be silenced--lips that speak with arrogance against the righteous, full of pride and contempt.

Proverbs 6:17
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.

Proverbs 19:10
Luxury is unseemly for a fool--how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

Proverbs 24:7
Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.

Proverbs 26:1
Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.


Treasury of Scripture

Excellent speech becomes not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

excellent speech

Proverbs 26:7
The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

Psalm 50:16,17
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? …

much

Proverbs 16:10-13
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment…

Proverbs 29:12
If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

2 Samuel 23:3
The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

lying lips

Proverbs 12:19
The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

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Arrogant Churl Excellency Excellent Fair False. Falsehood Fine Fit Fitting Fool Foolish Less Lip Noble Overbearing Prince Ruler Speech Vile Words Worse
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Arrogant Churl Excellency Excellent Fair False. Falsehood Fine Fit Fitting Fool Foolish Less Lip Noble Overbearing Prince Ruler Speech Vile Words Worse
Proverbs 17
1. Contrasts between the Righteous and the Wicked














(7) Excellent speech becometh not a fool.--Rather, perhaps, Superfluous or pretentious words become not a vile person (n?bh?l), such as is described in Isaiah 32:6. (Comp. 1Samuel 25:25.)

Much less do lying lips a prince.--Or, liberal person (Isaiah 32:8): noblesse oblige.

Verse 7. - Excellent speech becometh not a fool. שְׂפַת יָתֶר; verba composita, Vulgate, i.e. studied, complicated, expressions; χείλη πιστά, "faithful lips," Septuagint. Others translate, "arrogant," "pretentious." It is literally, a lip of excess or superabundance, and is best taken in the above sense, as arrogant or assuming. A nabal, a "vicious fool," ought not to flaunt his unwisdom and his iniquities before the eyes of men, but to keep them hidden as much as possible. As such presumptuous behaviour is incongruous in the case of a fool, much less do lying lips [become] a prince; a noble person, such a one as is called in Isaiah (Isaiah 32:8) "liberal," where the same word, nadib, is used. This is an illustration of the saying, "Noblesse oblige." Thus the Greek gnome -

Ἐλευθέρου γὰρ ἀνδρὸς ἀλήθειαν λέγειν

"A free man's part it is the truth to speak." To John the Good, King of France, is attributed the noble maxim which well became his chivalrous character, "Si la bonne foi etait bannie du reste du monde, il faudrait qu'on la retrouvat dans le coeur des rois" (Bonnechose, 'Hist. de France,' 1:310). "My son," says the rabbi in the Talmud, "avoid lying first of all; for a lie will tarnish the brightness of thy honour." For "prince," the Septuagint has, "a just man," which makes the maxim a mere truism.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Eloquent
יֶ֑תֶר (ye·ṯer)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3499: An overhanging, an excess, superiority, remainder, a small rope

words
שְׂפַת־ (śə·p̄aṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin

are unfit
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

for a fool;
לְנָבָ֣ל (lə·nā·ḇāl)
Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 5036: Foolish, senseless

how much worse
אַ֝֗ף (’ap̄)
Conjunction
Strong's 637: Meaning accession, yea, adversatively though

are lying
שָֽׁקֶר׃ (šā·qer)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8267: Deception, disappointment, falsehood

lips
שְׂפַת־ (śə·p̄aṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin

to a ruler!
לְנָדִ֥יב (lə·nā·ḏîḇ)
Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 5081: Voluntary, generous, magnanimous, a grandee


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 17:7 Arrogant speech isn't fitting for a fool (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 17:6
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