💡WEB · Proverbs 17:20
What does Proverbs 17:20 mean?
"One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble."
— Proverbs 17:20 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.
He who loves disobedience loves strife. One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.
One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.
He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.
A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.
Explanation
Proverbs 17:20 states a simple but weighty observation: a person whose heart is twisted or crooked will not find good things, and a person whose speech is deceptive will end up in trouble. The verse pairs two related ideas—inner character and outward speech—showing that what fills the heart eventually shows up in the mouth, and both have consequences.
This proverb comes from the book of Proverbs, traditionally attributed largely to Solomon, though the book as a whole is a collection of wisdom sayings compiled for the instruction of Israel's young people, particularly those being trained for life and, in some cases, for leadership. Proverbs belongs to the wisdom literature of the Old Testament, and its purpose is intensely practical: to teach people how to live skillfully and righteously in everyday relationships, work, speech, and moral choices. The sayings often follow a pattern of contrast or comparison, showing two paths—the wise and the foolish, the righteous and the wicked—and their differing outcomes. This verse fits that pattern by linking a corrupt inner disposition with a corrupt outer expression, and both with negative results.
Theologically, the verse reflects the biblical conviction that heart and speech are deeply connected, and that God's moral order is built into the fabric of life itself. A "perverse heart" refers to a will bent away from what is right—someone who is inwardly twisted in motive, scheming, or morally crooked. Proverbs consistently teaches that such a heart cannot produce lasting good, because prosperity in the biblical sense is not
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