King James Version

Proverbs 17:20

He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

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Hebrew

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עִקֶּשׁiqeshcrookedעִקֵּשׁadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, construct — “crooked”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6141distorted; hence, falsecrooked, froward, perverse.לֵ֭בlevcomfortablyלֵבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “comfortably”, the ordinary formH3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything[phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom]…לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יִמְצָאyimtsacomeמָצָאverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “come”, an unfinished actionH4672properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present[phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with)…ט֑וֹבtovgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…וְנֶהְפָּ֥ךְvenehpakheand changeהָפַךְconjunction, verb, niphal, participle, absolute — “and change”, a verb used as a describing wordH2015to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert[idiom] become, change, come, be converted, give, make (a bed), overthrow (-turn), perverse, retire, tumble, turn (again, aside, back, to the contrary, every way).בִּ֝לְשׁוֹנ֗וֹbilshonvoin tongueלָשׁוֹןpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in tongue”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3956the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water)[phrase] babbler, bay, [phrase] evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge.יִפּ֥וֹלyipolfallנָפַלverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “fall”, an unfinished actionH5307to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for H6419 (פָּלַל…בְּרָעָֽהberaahin badרַעpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “in bad”, the ordinary formH7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

He that hath a froward heart findeth no good; and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into evil.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

Young’s Literal Translation

The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.

World English Bible

One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.

Darby Translation

He that hath a perverse heart findeth no good; and he that shifteth about with his tongue falleth into evil.

Douay-Rheims

He that is of a perverse heart, shall not find good: and he that perverteth his tongue, shall fall into evil.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

He that hath a froward heart findeth no good; and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into evil.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

and the hard-hearted man comes not in for good. A man of a changeful tongue will fall into mischiefs;

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

ὁ δὲ σκληροκάρδιος οὐ συναντᾷ ἀγαθοῖς· ἀνὴρ εὐμετάβολος γλώσσῃ ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κακὰ,