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21 He who begets a fool, there is trouble for him;
    the father of a fool will not rejoice.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a downcast spirit will dry out bones.
23 The wicked will accept a bribe from the lap,
    in order to pervert the ways of justice.

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21 He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.

22 A (A)merry heart [a]does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

23 A wicked man accepts a bribe [b]behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:22 Or makes medicine even better
  2. Proverbs 17:23 Under cover, lit. from the bosom