Proverbs 17:9 (LSB)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

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.

Proverbs 17:10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who understands Than a hundred blows into a fool.

Proverbs 17:11 A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "covers", "transgression", "seeks", "love", "repeats", "matter", "separates", and "close". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "covers" and "transgression", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "A bribe is a charm in the..." into verse 10's "A rebuke goes deeper into one who...", so "covers" 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 "covers" and "transgression" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.