Proverbs 17:7 (KJV)

Passage

Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

Proverbs 17:6 Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

Proverbs 17:7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

Proverbs 17:8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

Proverbs 17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "excellent", "speech", "becometh", "fool", "much", "less", "lying", and "lips". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "excellent" and "speech", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Children s children are the crown of..." into verse 8's "A gift is as a precious stone...", so "excellent" and "speech" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "excellent" and "speech" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.