Proverbs 17:4 (GNV)

Passage

The wicked giueth heed to false lippes, and a lyer hearkeneth to the naughtie tongue.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:2 A discrete seruant shall haue rule ouer a lewde sonne, and hee shall deuide the heritage among the brethren.

Proverbs 17:3 As is the fining pot for siluer, and the fornace for golde, so the Lord trieth the heartes.

Proverbs 17:4 The wicked giueth heed to false lippes, and a lyer hearkeneth to the naughtie tongue.

Proverbs 17:5 Hee that mocketh the poore, reprocheth him, that made him: and he that reioyceth at destruction, shall not be vnpunished.

Proverbs 17:6 Childres children are the crowne of the elders: and the glory of ye children are their fathers.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wicked", "giueth", "heed", "false", "lippes", "lyer", "hearkeneth", and "naughtie". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wicked" and "giueth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "As is the fining pot for siluer..." into verse 5's "Hee that mocketh the poore reprocheth him...", so "wicked" and "giueth" 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 "wicked" and "giueth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.