Passage
Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; [And] he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
Proverbs 17:5 (ASV)
Nearby Context
Proverbs 17:3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts.
Proverbs 17:4 An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; [And] a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
Proverbs 17:5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; [And] he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
Proverbs 17:6 Children`s children are the crown of old men; And the glory of children are their fathers.
Proverbs 17:7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince.
Study Lenses
The verse centers on "whoso", "mocketh", "poor", "reproacheth", "maker", "glad", "calamity", and "shall". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "whoso" and "mocketh", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 4's "An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips..." into verse 6's "Children s children are the crown of...", so "whoso" and "mocketh" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "whoso" and "mocketh" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.