Proverbs 17:26 (KJV)

Passage

Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

Proverbs 17:25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

Proverbs 17:26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.

Proverbs 17:27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "punish", "just", "good", "strike", "princes", and "equity". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "punish" and "just", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 25's "A foolish son is a grief to..." into verse 27's "He that hath knowledge spareth his words...", so "punish" and "just" 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 "punish" and "just" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.