The Meaning of Proverbs 17:22 Explained

Proverbs 17:22

KJV: A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

YLT: A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.

Darby: A joyful heart promoteth healing; but a broken spirit drieth up the bones.

ASV: A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

A merry  heart  doeth good  [like] a medicine:  but a broken  spirit  drieth  the bones. 

What does Proverbs 17:22 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 17

1  Contrasts between the Righteous and the Wicked

What do the individual words in Proverbs 17:22 mean?

A heart merry does good [like] medicine but a spirit broken dries the bones
לֵ֣ב שָׂ֭מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־ גָּֽרֶם

לֵ֣ב  A  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
שָׂ֭מֵחַ  merry 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: שָׂמֵחַ  
Sense: joyful, merry, glad.
יֵיטִ֣ב  does  good 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
גֵּהָ֑ה  [like]  medicine 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: גֵּהָה  
Sense: a cure, a healing.
וְר֥וּחַ  but  a  spirit 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה  broken 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: נָכָא 
Sense: stricken.
תְּיַבֶּשׁ־  dries 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָבֵשׁ  
Sense: to make dry, wither, be dry, become dry, be dried up, be withered.
גָּֽרֶם  the  bones 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֶּרֶם  
Sense: bone, strength, bare?, self?.