Proverbs 17:9 (DBY)

Passage

He that covereth transgression seeketh love; but he that bringeth a matter up again separateth very friends.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:7 Excellent speech becometh not a vile [man]; how much less do lying lips a noble!

Proverbs 17:8 A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of the possessor: whithersoever it turneth it prospereth.

Proverbs 17:9 He that covereth transgression seeketh love; but he that bringeth a matter up again separateth very friends.

Proverbs 17:10 A reproof entereth more deeply into him that hath understanding than a hundred stripes into a fool.

Proverbs 17:11 An evil [man] seeketh only rebellion; but a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "covereth", "transgression", "seeketh", "love", "bringeth", "matter", "again", and "separateth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "covereth" and "transgression", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "A gift is a precious stone in..." into verse 10's "A reproof entereth more deeply into him...", so "covereth" and "transgression" 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 "covereth" and "transgression" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.