Proverbs 17:13 (YLT)

Passage

Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.

Proverbs 17:12 The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And--not a fool in his folly.

Proverbs 17:13 Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.

Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of contention <FI>is<Fi> a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.

Proverbs 17:15 Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these <FI>are<Fi> an abomination to Jehovah.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "for good", "whoso", "returning", "evil", "moveth", and "house". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "for good" and "whoso", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "The meeting of a bereaved bear by..." into verse 14's "The beginning of contention FI is Fi...", so "for good" and "whoso" 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 "for good" and "whoso" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.