Veritable King James Version
1The plans of the heart belong to people, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2All a person’s ways seem right in their own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.
3Commit your deeds to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
4The Lord has made all things for Himself, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5All who are proud in heart are an abomination to the Lord; they will not go unpunished.
6By steadfast love and truth, iniquity is atoned; through fear of the Lord, people turn from evil.
7When a person’s ways please the Lord, He makes even their enemies live at peace with them.
8Better a little with righteousness than great wealth with injustice.
9The heart of a person plans their way, but the Lord directs their steps.
10An oracle is on the lips of a king; in judgment, their mouth does not err.
11Honest scales and balances are the Lord’s; all weights in the bag are His work.
12It is an abomination for kings to do evil, for a throne is established by righteousness.
13Righteous lips are a king’s delight, and they love one who speaks truth.
14A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise person will appease it.
15In the light of a king’s face is life, and their favor is like a cloud of spring rain.
16To gain wisdom—how much better than gold! To choose understanding rather than silver!
17The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their way preserve their life.
18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19Better to be humble with the lowly than to divide spoil with the proud.
20Those who heed instruction prosper; those who trust in the Lord are blessed.
21The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious speech increases learning.
22Insight is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly is the punishment of fools.
23The heart of the wise guides their mouth, and adds persuasion to their lips.
24Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
25There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death.
26A worker’s appetite labors for them; their hunger drives them on.
27A worthless person digs up evil, and their speech is like a scorching fire.
28A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a whisperer separates close friends.
29A violent person entices their neighbor, leading them on a harmful path.
30Whoever winks the eye plans perverse things; whoever purses the lips brings evil to pass.
31Gray hair is a crown of glory, gained by a righteous life.
32Better a patient person than a warrior, one who controls anger than one who captures a city.
33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. Proverbs 17 The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 17 – VKJV
Translation notes
In verse 1, ma’arakhot (“plans”) refers to human intentions, while “answer of the tongue” (ma’aneh lashon) implies God’s sovereign response; theologically, this highlights divine control over human speech (cf. Psalm 33:10–11). Verse 2’s zak (“seem right”) suggests perceived purity, contrasted with God’s takan (“weighs”), indicating divine scrutiny of motives; cross-reference 1 Samuel 16:7. Verse 3’s “commit” (gol, lit. “roll”) urges entrusting actions to God, with “established” (kun) promising stability; cf. Psalm 37:5. Verse 4’s la’ma’anehu (“for Himself”) underscores God’s purpose in creation, including the wicked’s role in divine justice (cf. Romans 9:22). Verse 5’s “abomination” (to’evat) denotes divine repulsion, with “not go unpunished” (lo yinnaku) affirming justice; cross-reference Proverbs 6:16–17. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants (e.g., 4Q103) alter this section, affirming Masoretic Text reliability.
Verse 6’s chesed ve’emet (“steadfast love and truth”) reflects divine attributes facilitating atonement (kuppar); “fear of the Lord” (yirat YHWH) denotes reverent obedience, leading to repentance (cf. Proverbs 3:7). Verse 7’s “please the Lord” (ratzah) implies alignment with divine will, with “live at peace” (shalam) suggesting divine intervention; cross-reference Psalm 23:1–3. Verse 8’s “righteousness” (tzedakah) and “injustice” (lo mishpat) contrast moral integrity with ill-gotten gain; cf. Proverbs 15:16. Verse 9 echoes verse 1, with chashav (“plans”) and konen (“directs”) emphasizing human intention versus divine guidance; cross-reference Proverbs 19:21. Theologically, these verses highlight God’s sovereignty and moral order. No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
Verse 10’s qesem (“oracle”) suggests divinely inspired speech, with “not err” (lo yishgeh) indicating judicial integrity; theologically, this idealizes righteous rule (cf. 2 Samuel 23:3–4). Verse 11’s mo’zney mishpat (“honest scales”) and “weights” (avney) reflect divine standards of justice; cross-reference Leviticus 19:36. Verse 12’s “abomination” (to’evat) parallels verse 5, emphasizing moral governance; “established” (konen) ties to verse 3. Verse 13’s “righteous lips” (siftey tzedek) and “truth” (dover emet) highlight valued speech. Verse 14’s “messenger of death” (mal’ake mavet) personifies royal anger, with “appease” (kippur) suggesting wisdom’s role; cf. Proverbs 15:1. Verse 15’s “light of a king’s face” and “spring rain” (malkosh) are metaphors for favor and blessing; cross-reference Psalm 72:6. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants noted.
Verse 16’s qanah (“gain”) echoes Proverbs 4:5, prioritizing wisdom over wealth; “understanding” (binah) parallels wisdom (chokhmah); cf. Proverbs 3:14–15. Verse 17’s “highway” (mesillat) metaphorically depicts a moral path, with “guard their way” (shomer darko) emphasizing vigilance; cross-reference Proverbs 2:8. Verse 18’s ga’avah (“pride”) and govah ruach (“haughty spirit”) warn of downfall; theologically, this reflects divine opposition to pride (cf. James 4:6). Verse 19’s “humble” (sh’fal ruach) and “lowly” (anavim) advocate humility; “divide spoil” suggests ill-gotten gain; cf. Proverbs 15:27. No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
Verse 20’s “heed instruction” (maskil al davar) implies attentive obedience, with “prosper” (yatav) and “blessed” (ashre) denoting divine favor; cross-reference Psalm 1:1–3. Verse 21’s “discerning” (navon) and “gracious speech” (meteq s’fatayim) suggest wisdom’s appeal; “increases learning” reflects influence; cf. Proverbs 9:9. Verse 22’s “fountain of life” (m’kor chayyim) echoes Proverbs 10:11, contrasting folly’s consequence (musar evilim). Verse 23’s “guides their mouth” (yaskil pihu) and “persuasion” (leqach) emphasize controlled speech; cross-reference Proverbs 15:2. Theologically, these verses underscore wisdom’s life-giving role and divine blessing. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants noted.
Verse 24’s “honeycomb” (tzuf devash) and “healing to the bones” (marpe la’atzmot) depict speech’s restorative power; cross-reference Proverbs 3:8. Verse 25 repeats Proverbs 14:12, with “seems right” (yashar) and “way of death” (darkey mavet) warning of self-deception; theologically, this contrasts human perception with divine truth. Verse 26’s “appetite labors” (nefesh amel amelah) and “hunger drives” (apho yalitzenu) use hunger as a metaphor for motivation. Verse 27’s “worthless person” (ish beliyya’al) and “scorching fire” (esh tzarevet) depict destructive intent; cf. Proverbs 6:12–14. No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
Verse 28’s “perverse person” (ish tahpukhot) and “whisperer” (nirgan) denote divisive behavior; “separates” (yafred) implies broken relationships; cf. Proverbs 6:19. Verse 29’s “violent person” (ish chamas) and “harmful path” (derek lo tov) warn of corrupting influence. Verse 30’s “winks the eye” (otzeh ayin) and “purses the lips” (qoretz s’fatayim) are gestures of deceit; cf. Proverbs 6:13. Verse 31’s “crown of glory” (ateret tiferet) ties to Proverbs 4:9, with “righteous life” (derek tzedakah) implying moral integrity. Verse 32’s “patient person” (erekh appayim) and “controls anger” (moshel b’rucho) prioritize self-control; cross-reference Proverbs 14:29. Verse 33’s “lot” (goral) and “decision” (mishpat) affirm divine sovereignty; cf. Acts 1:26. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants noted.
© Veritable King James Version, 2026. All Rights Reserved.