Chapter Seventeen

1–19. Exhortation toward moderation in the use of life’s blessings and wise use of the gift of speech. 10–20. Exhortation toward peaceableness and warning against arrogance and inclination toward disputes. 21–28. Sayings of varied content, warning against talkativeness.

Proverbs 17:1. Better is a piece of dry bread with peace than a house full of slaughtered meat with discord. Proverbs 17:2. A prudent slave will rule over a son who acts shamefully, and among the brothers he will share the inheritance. Proverbs 17:3. A crucible is for silver and a furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the hearts. Proverbs 17:4. An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar pays attention to a pernicious tongue. Proverbs 17:5. Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; whoever rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished [but the merciful will be shown mercy]. Proverbs 17:6. The crown of the elderly is their grandchildren, and the glory of children is their parents.– “Proverbs 17. Prov.17:6a. –[The faithful one has a whole world of wealth, the unfaithful one has not a penny.]” Proverbs 17:7. Fine speech is not fitting for a fool, much less false words for a noble. Proverbs 17:8. A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of its owner: wherever he turns, it brings success. Proverbs 17:9. Whoever covers up an offense seeks love; but whoever keeps bringing it up separates a friend. The good of peace is incomparable to any material blessings: in peace in the home, a piece of dry bread without wine and meat, even without vinegar (Ruth 2:14) and water (1 Sam 25:11) is more pleasant than abundant rich dishes in homes full of disagreement and discord (v. 1). And the good of wisdom, both theoretical and practical, is not dependent on a person’s external position. Even a slave – despite his lowly position in a Hebrew family – could through his wisdom achieve an exceptionally high position – even dominion, with the father’s knowledge, over his own children (v. 2). Just as the worth of precious metals is revealed in fire, so chosen souls are cast by the Lord into the fire of trials, which gives them opportunity to cleanse themselves of sins and show their generosity and love toward God (v. 3). On the contrary, a person with a morally corrupt heart is inclined only to listen to every slander and lie pernicious to his neighbor, while the morally blameless person turns away from all such things (v. 4). In the first part of v. 5 the thought of Prov 14:31 is repeated, in the second – the thought of Prov 11:21 and Prov 16:5. In v. 6 is expressed the high esteem for family and offspring, a branching family tree, characteristic of Old Testament biblical Hebrews (compare Ps 127:1). In v. 7–8 there is opposition between the worthlessness of foolishness and wickedness and the high value of wisdom and piety: the latter is here presented as a high reward or priceless gift given to a person. According to v. 9, a sign of true wisdom and love is the desire to conceal a known sin of one’s neighbor (compare Prov 10:12), whereas the opposite behavior further damages human relations (compare Prov 16:28-29).

Proverbs 17:10. A rebuke makes a stronger impression on the understanding than a hundred blows on a fool. Proverbs 17:11. A rebel seeks only evil; therefore a cruel angel will be sent against him. Proverbs 17:12. Better for a person to meet a female bear robbed of her young than a fool with his foolishness. Proverbs 17:13. Whoever pays back evil for good, evil will not depart from his house. Proverbs 17:14. The beginning of strife is like letting out water; abandon the dispute before it flares up. Proverbs 17:15. Whoever justifies the wicked and condemns the righteous – both are an abomination to the Lord. Proverbs 17:16. Why should treasure be in the hand of a fool? To gain wisdom he has no sense.– “Proverbs 17. Prov.17:16a. –[Whoever raises his house high seeks to break it; whoever turns away from instruction falls into trouble.]” Proverbs 17:17. A friend loves at all times, and as a brother, he comes forth in time of trouble. Proverbs 17:18. A foolish person gives his hand and becomes surety for his neighbor. Proverbs 17:19. Whoever loves strife loves sin, and whoever raises his gate high seeks a fall. Proverbs 17:20. A crooked heart will not find good, and a lying tongue will fall into trouble. There is noted the presence of a high sense of self-worth in the understanding, and the absence of this sense in the fool, whose sensitivity is only to physical force (v. 10). It is shown that every rebellion against lawfully acting authority calls forth God’s retribution to the rebel, for example, in the form of the sending of avenging angels against the wicked (v. 11, compare Ps 34:5-6). The image in v. 12 for the fool, the wicked, and the evil person – a female bear robbed of her young, and therefore desperately enraged – is reminiscent of the reverse portrayal of an evil wife in the book of Sirach (Sir 25:16-22). In v. 13 it is forbidden to repay evil for good under threat of a curse on the house of the guilty one (compare Prov 3:33). Verse 14 presents the development of a quarrel as like the breaking of a dam by water. In v. 15 – regarding the abuses in courts that are always possible – there is categorical condemnation of justifying the guilty and condemning the righteous (compare Prov 24:24; Isa 5:23). Verse 16 asserts the uselessness of wealth in the hands of a person lacking sense. In v. 17 is expressed a truth gained by the experience of all of humanity: among the classics expressed in the saying amicus certus in re incerta cernitor; the corresponding Arabic proverb says the same. Verse 18 repeats the Wise One’s negative judgment about becoming surety, compare Prov 6:1-5. In v. 19 quarrelsomeness and arrogance are presented as the source of sin and condemnation (compare Sir 28:9). For v. 20 compare Prov 6:14.

Proverbs 17:21. Whoever fathers a fool does it to his sorrow, and the father of a fool will not rejoice. Proverbs 17:22. A cheerful heart is beneficial, like medicine, but a depressed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:23. A wicked person takes a gift from the fold of his garment to pervert the paths of justice. Proverbs 17:24. Wisdom is before the face of the understanding, but the eyes of the fool are on the ends of the earth. Proverbs 17:25. A foolish son is a cause of grief to his father and sorrow to his mother. Proverbs 17:26. It is not good to punish the righteous or to strike the mighty for righteousness. A group of sayings of varied content often begins with a thought frequently repeated by the Wise One: that children are either a source of joy or a cause of great sorrow for their parents (v. 21, compare Prov 10:1). Verse 22 speaks of the undoubted influence of a cheerful or depressed state of mind on a person’s body (compare Prov 15:13). Verse 23 – about bribery in court (compare Prov 21:14). In v. 24 there is set in opposition the concentrated study of a matter by the understanding (compare Prov 4:25) and the scattered wandering of the fool’s attention over various distant matters. Verse 25 compare v. 21 and Prov 10:1. Verse 26 condemns the opposition of evil people to the righteous and to mighty ones or authorities, as representatives of justice.

Proverbs 17:27. The understanding is restrained in his words, and the prudent person is calm. Proverbs 17:28. Even a fool, when he keeps silent, may appear wise, and the one who closes his mouth may seem prudent. Praise for the moderate use of the gift of speech. Verse 27 recalls Prov 10:19 (compare Jas 1:19). The thought in v. 28 that silence is a sure means to appear wise, even for a fool, is found, for example, in Job 13:5.