What is the relation between bond energy and stability?

My book has two confusing statements about bond energy:



> 
> The most stable bond is the bond with the highest bond energy.
> 
> 
> 



> 
> A system with low energy is a stable system. Thus, a bond is formed when electron energy level is the lowest.
> 
> 
> 


So, does high energy means more stability or less stability?




Look at it in this way. Consider the energy to break a bond to be arbitrarily assumed to be at $\pu{0 J/mol}$. Now, there are two bonds, $\ce{A-B}$ and $\ce{C-D}$. Let's say they have energies of $\pu{-242 kJ/mol}$ and $\pu{-378 kJ/mol}$. Clearly, the $\ce{C-D}$ bond has the lower energy.


Now, you can say that a stronger bond needs more energy to break it. So, this means that you need to supply $\pu{242 kJ/mol}$ of energy to break $\ce{A-B}$ and $\pu{378 kJ/mol}$ of energy to break $\ce{C-D}$. You can definitely see that $\ce{C-D}$ needs more energy to break it, and to bring the energy to $\pu{ 0 J/mol}$.


 2