Proverbs 17:16 (YLT)

Passage

Why <FI>is<Fi> this--a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?

Nearby Context

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.

Proverbs 17:16 Why <FI>is<Fi> this--a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?

Proverbs 17:17 At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.

Proverbs 17:18 A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "this--a", "price", "hand", "fool", "wisdom", "heart", and "none". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "this--a" and "price", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "Whoso is justifying the wicked And condemning..." into verse 17's "At all times is the friend loving...", so "this--a" and "price" 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 "this--a" and "price" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.