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Proverbs 17

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Domestic Peace and Integrity 1–6

1
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. ​
2
A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. ​
3
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts. ​
4
A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
5
Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. ​
6
Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. ​

Contrasts Between Wise and Foolish 7–14

7
Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince. ​
8
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth. ​
9
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends. ​
10
A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
11
An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly. ​
13
Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with. ​

Justice, Friendship, and Folly 15–22

15
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD. ​
16
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it? ​
17
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. ​
18
A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend. ​
19
He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
20
He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
21
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
22
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. ​

Bribery and the Value of Silence 23–28

23
A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment. ​
24
Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. ​
25
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.
26
Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
27
He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
28
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Proverbs 17

Verse 1

a dry morsel, and quietness therewith — Chareb, parched, dry: bread with nothing to it, set against a house 'full of sacrifices' (zebach, slaughtered meat) 'with strife' (riv, the word of v.14). Prov 15:17 makes the same comparison: 'a dinner of herbs where love is'.

Verse 2

A wise servant shall have rule — Sakal, to act prudently, the verb also rendered 'prospereth' in v.8. The servant 'shall have part' (chalaq, to divide) 'among the brethren'. Prov 11:29 gives the principle: 'the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart'; Prov 14:35 'The king's favour is toward a wise servant'.

Verse 3

The fining pot is for silver — Mitsreph, crucible, and kur, furnace; bachan, 'trieth', is the verb for testing metals. Prov 27:21 repeats the first two lines of the proverb. What the fire does to metal the LORD does to 'the hearts' (Jer 17:10).

Verse 5

Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker — La'ag, to deride. Prov 14:31 has the same saying with 'oppresseth' in place of 'mocketh'. 'Calamities' is eyd, ruin. 'Shall not be unpunished' (naqah) is also said in Prov 11:21; 16:5; 19:5.

Verse 6

Children's children are the crown of old men — Atarah, crown, as in Prov 16:31, 'The hoary head is a crown of glory'. The verse runs both ways: grandchildren crown the old, and fathers are the tiphereth (glory, ornament) of their children. Ps 128:6: 'thou shalt see thy children's children'.

Verse 7

Excellent speech becometh not a fool — 'Excellent' is yether, abundance, excess; the fool is nabal, the impious fool. 'Prince' is nadiv, the noble or generous, the word rendered 'princes' in v.26. 'Lying lips' (sheqer) in such a man are 'much less' fitting; compare Prov 29:12.

Verse 8

A gift is as a precious stone — Shachad, a gift in the sense of a bribe (also v.23). The stone is literally one of favour (chen) in the eyes of its owner (ba'al); 'prospereth' is sakal, as in v.2. The Law had said 'thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise' (Ex 23:8).

Verse 9

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love — Kasah, to cover, with pesha', transgression. Prov 10:12: 'love covereth all sins'. 'Repeateth' is shanah, to fold over, say again; 'very friends' is alluf, familiar companions (cf. Prov 16:28, 'chief friends').

Verse 12

a bear robbed of her whelps — Shakkul, bereaved of young; the image of fury also in 2 Sam 17:8 and Hos 13:8. The fool is kesil, and 'folly' ivveleth. A man is safer meeting the bear than meeting the fool 'in his folly'; compare Prov 27:3, 'a fool's wrath is heavier'.

Verse 14

letteth out water — Patar, to burst through or release. Strife (madon) begins as a small breach that cannot be closed again. 'Contention' is riv (as 'strife' in v.1); 'meddled with' is gala', to meddle, to break out. The advice is to 'leave off' (natash) before it starts.

Verse 15

He that justifieth the wicked — Tsadaq and rasha' are here forensic: to declare righteous, to declare guilty. 'Abomination' is toevah, the LORD's own word of loathing. The law had said 'I will not justify the wicked' (Ex 23:7); Isa 5:23 pronounces woe on those who do it for reward.

Verse 16

a price in the hand of a fool — Mechir, price; qanah, to get or buy, as in Prov 23:23, 'Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom'. The fool is kesil, and 'no heart' (lev) means no mind or will for it. Prov 18:15: 'The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge'.

Verse 17

A friend loveth at all times — Rea', a close associate, with ahav, to love, 'at all times' (et). 'Adversity' is tsarah, distress, literally tightness. A brother is born for such an hour. Prov 18:24 sets the two beside each other: 'a friend that sticketh closer than a brother'.

Verse 18

striketh hands, and becometh surety — Taqa', to clap or strike, with kaph, the palm: the pledge sealed by hand. 'Void of understanding' is literally lacking heart (chaser lev). Arav is to give security, as in Prov 6:1: 'if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand'.

Verse 22

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine — Gehah, a cure or medicine; 'merry' is sameach, glad. The 'broken spirit' (nakeh, smitten) 'drieth the bones'. Prov 15:13 states the pair: 'A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance'; Prov 18:14 'a wounded spirit who can bear?'

Verse 23

taketh a gift out of the bosom — Cheyq, the bosom or fold of the garment where the bribe (shachad, as in v.8) is hidden. It serves 'to pervert the ways of judgment' (orach mishpat). Ex 23:8 forbids it; 1 Sam 8:3 records Samuel's sons who 'took bribes, and perverted judgment'.

Verse 24

Wisdom is before him that hath understanding — Literally wisdom is 'before the face' (panim) of the discerning man, always in view. The fool's eyes are 'in the ends' (qatseh) 'of the earth', looking everywhere but at hand. Eccl 2:14: 'The wise man's eyes are in his head'.

Verse 28

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace — The fool here is eviyl, not the kesil of v.16. Charash is to be silent; atam, 'shutteth', is to close the lips. Silence gets him 'counted wise' (chashab). Prov 10:19: 'he that refraineth his lips is wise'; Job 13:5.