PROVERBS CHAPTER 17.
V. 19. He loveth transgression that loveth strife, for a quarrelsome disposition is usually combined with wickedness of heart; and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction, putting on the airs of the wealthy by building a lofty gateway to his house, thereby inviting jealousy and enmity and leading to his own ruin. Pride is the most common cause of ruinous quarrels.
V. 20. He that hath a froward heart, one that is crooked and malicious, findeth no good, will never prosper; and he that hath a perverse tongue, a wayward tongue, one which is not consistent, but winds and twists to suit the occasion, falleth into mischief, plunging himself into a well-deserved punishment.
V. 21. He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow, he is most unfortunate to have a fool for his son; and the father of a fool hath no joy. Cp. chap. 10, 1; 18, 13.