Proverbs 17:17 (YLT)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

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.

Proverbs 17:19 Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "times", "friend", "loving", "brother", "adversity", and "born". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "times" and "friend", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "Why FI is Fi this--a price in..." into verse 18's "A man lacking heart is striking hands...", so "times" and "friend" 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 "times" and "friend" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.