Proverbs 27:16 (DRB)

Passage

He that retaineth her, is as he that would hold the wind, and shall call the oil of his right hand.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 27:14 He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.

Proverbs 27:15 Roofs dropping through in a cold day, and a contentious woman are alike.

Proverbs 27:16 He that retaineth her, is as he that would hold the wind, and shall call the oil of his right hand.

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Proverbs 27:18 He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eat the fruit thereof: and he that is the keeper of his master, shall be glorified.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "retaineth", "hold", "wind", "shall", "call", "right", and "hand". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "retaineth" and "hold", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "Roofs dropping through in a cold day..." into verse 17's "Iron sharpeneth iron so a man sharpeneth...", so "retaineth" and "hold" 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 "retaineth" and "hold" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.