Proverbs 17:9 (GNV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

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.

Proverbs 17:10 A reproofe entereth more into him that hath vnderstanding, then an hundreth stripes into a foole.

Proverbs 17:11 A sedicious person seeketh onely euill, and a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "A rewarde is as a stone pleasant..." into verse 10's "A reproofe entereth more into him that...", so "couereth" 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 "couereth" and "transgression" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.