Proverbs 17:23 (YLT)

Passage

A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:21 Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.

Proverbs 17:22 A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.

Proverbs 17:23 A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.

Proverbs 17:24 The face of the intelligent <FI>is<Fi> to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool--at the end of the earth.

Proverbs 17:25 A provocation to his father <FI>is<Fi> a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "bribe", "bosom", "wicked", "taketh", "turn", "aside", "paths", and "judgment". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "bribe" and "bosom", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "A rejoicing heart doth good to the..." into verse 24's "The face of the intelligent FI is...", so "bribe" and "bosom" 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 "bribe" and "bosom" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.