Proverbs 17:4 (WEB)

Passage

An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.

Proverbs 17:3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but Yahweh tests the hearts.

Proverbs 17:4 An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

Proverbs 17:5 Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

Proverbs 17:6 Children’s children are the crown of old men; the glory of children are their parents.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "evildoer", "heeds", "wicked", "lips", "liar", "gives", "mischievous", and "tongue". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "evildoer" and "heeds", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "The refining pot is for silver and..." into verse 5's "Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker...", so "evildoer" and "heeds" 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 "evildoer" and "heeds" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.