Proverbs 17:7 (GNV)

Passage

Hie talke becommeth not a foole, much lesse a lying talke a prince.

Nearby Context

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.

Proverbs 17:7 Hie talke becommeth not a foole, much lesse a lying talke a prince.

Proverbs 17:8 A rewarde is as a stone pleasant in the eyes of them that haue it: it prospereth, whithersoeuer it turneth.

Proverbs 17:9 Hee that couereth a transgression, seeketh loue: but hee that repeateth a matter, separateth the prince.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "talke", "becommeth", "foole", "much", "lesse", "lying", and "prince". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "talke" and "becommeth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Childres children are the crowne of the..." into verse 8's "A rewarde is as a stone pleasant...", so "talke" and "becommeth" 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 "talke" and "becommeth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.