Proverbs 27:6
in Proverbs 27The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
KJV
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
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This verse in Proverbs 27
Commentary
10 notes on this verseRebukes are good, and often better than a silent friendship. Even if a friend thinks himself hurt, still rebuke him; and if the bitterness of the correction wounds his mind, still rebuke him and fear not. "The wounds of a friend are better than the kisses of flatterers." Rebuke, then, your erring friend; forsake not an innocent one. For friendship ought to be steadfast and to rest firm in true affection.
This site's exposition
A stone is heavy
on Proverbs 27:3-6
Verse 3 sets "aggravation from a fool" beside stone and sand and finds it heavier than both. Wrath and anger are named, but jealousy is left unanswered: "who can withstand jealousy?" Verses 5 and 6 turn to speech, since "Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed."
This site's exposition
The wounds of a friend are faithful
The wound is the open rebuke of verse 5. John Gill reads the wounds as friendly reproofs, painful and given in love, and sets the kisses of Joab and Judas against them. Albert Barnes renders deceitful as abundant, the enemy lavish with kisses that cover betrayal.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
The wounds of love are good too, better than kisses. For "useful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy." Peter wounds, and Judas kisses. But the kiss condemned Judas because it carried a traitorous venom; the wound inflicted by Peter also cured him because he washed away his fault with tears.
When one who is loved is chastised, a pious act is exercised in his regard, for love has its wounds as well, which are all the sweeter for the harshness of their infliction. For a religious chastisement is sweeter than easy forgiveness, which is why …
Not everyone who spares is a friend, nor is everyone who strikes an enemy. "Better are the wounds of a friend than the proffered kisses of an enemy." Love mingled with severity is better than deceit with indulgence.
"More trustworthy are the wounds of a friend than the proffered kisses of an enemy." Let us, then, with all the insistence we can put into it, impress this upon our dearest friends, those who are most sincerely interested in our work, and let them know that it is possible between dear friends for something to be objected to in the speech of either, without charity being thereby diminished, without truth begetting hatred. This is something which is owed to friendship, even if what is objected to is true, or whatever it is, so long as it is uttered from a truthful heart, without keeping in the mind what is at variance with the words.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Better are the wounds of a friend, etc. It is better to endure wounds and affliction from the Lord, who as a father instructs us as children, than to be deceived by the flattery of the devil, who, to deprive us of our heavenly inheritance, …
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Faithful are the wounds of a friend,.... That is, friendly reproofs; which, though they may be severe, at least thought so, and may grieve and wound, and cause pain and uneasiness for the present, yet, proceeding from a spirit of love, faithfulness, and integrity, and designed for the good of the person reproved, ought to be kindly received; see Psa 141:5; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful; flow from a deceitful heart, and not to be confided in, as the kisses of Joab and Judas.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Deceitful - Better, abundant. Very lavish is the enemy of the kisses that cover perfidy, but lavish of them only. His courtesy goes no deeper.
The words behind it
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| נֶ֭אֱמָנִים | neemanim | [are] reliable | H539 → | 106 times |
| פִּצְעֵ֣י | pitzei | [the] wounds of | H6482 → | 8 times |
| אוֹהֵ֑ב | ʾohev | [one who] loves | H157 → | 211 times |
| וְ֝נַעְתָּר֗וֹת | vena'tarot | and [are] abundant | H6280 → | |
| נְשִׁיק֥וֹת | neshikot | [the] kisses of | H5390 → | |
| שׂוֹנֵֽא׃ | sone' | [one who] hates | H8130 → | 146 times |
נֶ֭אֱמָנִים[are] reliable
neemanimH539 →106 times
פִּצְעֵ֣י[the] wounds of
pitzeiH6482 →8 times
אוֹהֵ֑ב[one who] loves
ʾohevH157 →211 times
וְ֝נַעְתָּר֗וֹתand [are] abundant
vena'tarotH6280 →
נְשִׁיק֥וֹת[the] kisses of
neshikotH5390 →
שׂוֹנֵֽא׃[one who] hates
sone'H8130 →146 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
Revelation 3:19Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
it leads to
- Proverbs 3:11–12
My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;
- 1 Corinthians 11:32
But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
- Hebrews 12:5–11
And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.
- Job 5:17
Blessed indeed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
- Revelation 2:5
Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from…
- Proverbs 3:11–12
Through
Psalms 141:5Let the righteous man strike me; let his rebuke be an act of loving devotion. It is oil for my head; let me not refuse it. For my prayer is ever against the deeds…
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 7:5
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
- Revelation 3:19
Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
- Galatians 6:1
Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
- Ecclesiastes 7:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Proverbs
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 3.22.127; Ambrose of Milan, Concerning Virginity 6:33; Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 93; Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 82; Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Maximus of Turin, SERMON 80:1.