Proverbs 17:5 (DBY)

Passage

Whoso mocketh a poor [man] reproacheth his Maker; he that is glad at calamity shall not be held innocent.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:3 The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but Jehovah trieth the hearts.

Proverbs 17:4 The evil-doer giveth heed to iniquitous lips; the liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.

Proverbs 17:5 Whoso mocketh a poor [man] reproacheth his Maker; he that is glad at calamity shall not be held innocent.

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 vile [man]; how much less do lying lips a noble!

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 "The evil-doer giveth heed to iniquitous lips..." into verse 6's "Children's children are the crown of old...", 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.