Proverbs 27:17 (GNV)

Passage

Yron sharpeneth yron, so doeth man sharpen the face of his friend.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 27:15 A continual dropping in the day of raine, and a contentious woman are alike.

Proverbs 27:16 He that hideth her, hideth the winde, and she is as ye oyle in his right hand, that vttereth it selfe.

Proverbs 27:17 Yron sharpeneth yron, so doeth man sharpen the face of his friend.

Proverbs 27:18 He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eate the fruite thereof: so he that waiteth vpon his master, shall come to honour.

Proverbs 27:19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "yron", "sharpeneth", "doeth", "face", and "friend". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "yron" and "sharpeneth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "He that hideth her hideth the winde..." into verse 18's "He that keepeth the fig tree shall...", so "yron" and "sharpeneth" 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 "yron" and "sharpeneth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.