Proverbs 17:27
in Proverbs 17A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He that spareth his words hath knowledge; And he that is of a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
KJV
He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
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This verse in Proverbs 17
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
They said of Agatho that for three years he kept a stone in his mouth in order to teach himself silence.
This site's exposition
A man of knowledge restrains his words
on Proverbs 17:27-28
"A man of knowledge restrains his words," and "a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit." Even a fool who keeps silent "is considered wise." Holding his tongue earns him a name for discernment he has not earned, and so appearance and substance can be mistaken for each other.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
He asks of wisdom, who seeks to know what is the will of God. And he will show himself prudent who is sparing of his words on that which he has come to learn. If one inquires about wisdom, desiring to learn something about wisdom, while another asks nothing of wisdom, as not only wishing to learn nothing about wisdom himself, but even keeping back his neighbours from so doing, the former certainly is deemed to be more prudent than the latter.
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
proposed
Some brothers from Scetis wanted to visit Antony, and set out in a ship to go there. On board they met an old man who also wanted to go to Antony, but he did not belong to their party. During the voyage they talked about …
Let your words be measured and counted by yourself, knowing that you shall render an account to God of what comes out of your mouth, including a pleasantry or even a word that does not edify.… And do not become a stranger to such promises. …
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
proposed
They said of Agatho that some people went to him because they heard he was a man of great discretion. Wanting to test whether he was irritable, they said to him, 'Are you Agatho? We have heard of you that you are an adulterer and …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He that hath knowledge spareth his words,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Better, A man of calm (or noble) spirit is a man of understanding.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ | chosekh | [one who] restrains | H2820 → | 28 times |
| אֲ֭מָרָיו | ʾamarav | words his | H561 → | 49 times |
| יוֹדֵ֣עַ | yodea' | [is] knowing | H3045 → | 945 times |
| דָּ֑עַת | daat | knowledge | H1847 → | 92 times |
| יְקַר | vekar- | [a person] noble of | H3368 → | 36 times |
| ר֝֗וּחַ | ruach | spirit | H7307 → | 378 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | [is] a person of | H376 → | 1663 times |
| תְּבוּנָֽה׃ | tevunah | understanding | H8394 → | 42 times |
חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ[one who] restrains
chosekhH2820 →28 times
אֲ֭מָרָיוwords his
ʾamaravH561 →49 times
יוֹדֵ֣עַ[is] knowing
yodea'H3045 →945 times
דָּ֑עַתknowledge
daatH1847 →92 times
יְקַר[a person] noble of
vekar-H3368 →36 times
ר֝֗וּחַspirit
ruachH7307 →378 times
אִ֣ישׁ[is] a person of
ʾishH376 →1663 times
תְּבוּנָֽה׃understanding
tevunahH8394 →42 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 1:19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
it leads to
- Proverbs 21:23
He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
- Proverbs 14:29
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
- Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
- Proverbs 18:13
He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.
- Proverbs 13:3
He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
- Proverbs 21:23
Through
Proverbs 14:29A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
it leads to
- James 1:19
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 1:19
Through
James 3:18Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
- Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
- Matthew 5:9
Where this verse is studied
About Proverbs
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon; Hippolytus of Rome, Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Pachomius the Great, FRAGMENT 2:3.