Proverbs 17:22
A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.
Young's Literal Translation
In The King James Version
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
In Context
21Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.
23A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
Cross References
Psalms 22:15Dried up as an earthen vessel is my power, And my tongue is cleaving to my jaws.
Psalms 102:3For consumed in smoke have been my days, And my bones as a fire-brand have burned.
Proverbs 15:13A joyful heart maketh glad the face, And by grief of heart is the spirit smitten.
Ecclesiastes 2:2Of laughter I said, 'Foolish!' and of mirth, 'What [is] this it is doing?'
Romans 5:2through whom also we have the access by the faith into this grace in which we have stood, and we boast on the hope of the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 7:10for the sorrow toward God reformation to salvation not to be repented of doth work, and the sorrow of the world doth work 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 →