Proverbs 17:7 (LSB)

Passage

Excellent lips are not fitting for a wicked fool, Even less are lying lips for a noble man.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:5 He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who is glad at disaster will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 17:6 Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the beauty of sons is their fathers.

Proverbs 17:7 Excellent lips are not fitting for a wicked fool, Even less are lying lips for a noble man.

Proverbs 17:8 A bribe is a charm in the eyes of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.

Proverbs 17:9 He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates close companions.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "excellent", "lips", "fitting", "wicked", "fool", "even", "less", and "lying". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "excellent" and "lips", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Grandchildren are the crown of old men..." into verse 8's "A bribe is a charm in the...", so "excellent" and "lips" 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 "excellent" and "lips" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.