Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart doeth good to the body; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
Noyes Bible
In The King James Version
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
In Context
21Whoso begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; Yea, the father of the fool hath no joy.
23The wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of judgment.
Cross References
Psalms 22:15My strength is dried up like an earthen vessel, And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; Thou hast brought me to the dust of death!
Psalms 102:3For my life is consumed like smoke, And my bones burn like a brand.
Proverbs 15:13A joyous heart maketh a bright countenance; But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
Ecclesiastes 2:2I said of laughter, “It is mad;” and of mirth, “What availeth it?”
Romans 5:2through whom also we have had admission into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory which God will confer.
2 Corinthians 7:10For sorrow before God worketh repentance to salvation never to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:22
21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy. This expresses that very emphatically which many wise and good men feel very sensibly, what a grievous vexatious thing it is to have a foolish wicked child. See here, 1. How uncertain all our creature-comforts are, so that we are often not only disappointed in them, but that proves the greatest cross in which we promised ourselves most satisfaction. There was joy when a man-child was born into the world, and yet, if he prove… Read the whole commentary →