Proverbs 17:22
A lev same'ach doeth tov like a medicine, 1 but a downcast ruach drieth up the bones. 1
Orthodox Jewish Bible
In The King James Version
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
In Context
21He that begetteth a kesil doeth it to his sorrow, 1 and the avi naval hath no simchah. 1
Cross References
Psalms 22:15I am poured out like mayim, 1 and all my atzmot are out of joint; 1 my lev is like wax; 1 it is melted away within me. 1
Psalms 102:3Hide not Thy face from me in the yom tzar (day of distress); 1 incline Thine ear unto me; 1 in the yom when I call, answer me speedily. 1
Proverbs 15:13A lev same'ach maketh a cheerful countenance, 1 but by sorrow of the lev the ruach is broken. 1
Ecclesiastes 2:2I said of laughter, It is mad; and of simchah, What doeth it accomplish?
Romans 5:2Through whom also we have HaSha'ar la Hashem + 5:2 Ps 118:20 (gate to appoach G-dʼs presence, access of the Tzaddikim) by emunah into this unmerited Chen v'Chesed in which we stand and glory in tikvah of the kavod Eloheinu.
2 Corinthians 7:10For the agmat nefesh that is according to Hashem produces teshuva to Yeshu'at Eloheinu, not to be regretted, but the agmat nefesh of the Olam Hazeh produces mavet. + 7:10 Mt 27:3-5; MJ 12:17
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 →