Proverbs 18:17 (YLT)

Passage

Righteous <FI>is<Fi> the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 18:15 The heart of the intelligent getteth knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

Proverbs 18:16 The gift of a man maketh room for him, And before the great it leadeth him.

Proverbs 18:17 Righteous <FI>is<Fi> the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.

Proverbs 18:18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, And between the mighty it separateth.

Proverbs 18:19 A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "righteous", "first", "cause", "neighbour", "cometh", "hath", and "searched". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "righteous" and "first", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "The gift of a man maketh room..." into verse 18's "The lot causeth contentions to cease And...", so "righteous" and "first" 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 "righteous" and "first" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.