Proverbi 27:17

17 Il ferro si pulisce col ferro; Così l’uomo pulisce la faccia del suo prossimo.

Proverbi 27:17 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 27:17

Iron sharpeneth iron
A sword or knife made of iron is sharpened by it; so butchers sharpen their knives; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend;
by conversation with him; thus learned men sharpen one another's minds, and excite each other to learned studies; Christians sharpen one another's graces, or stir up each other to the exercise of them, and the gifts which are bestowed on them, and to love and to good works. So Jarchi and Gersom understand it of the sharpening of men's minds to the learning of doctrine; but Aben Ezra, takes it in an ill sense, that as iron strikes iron and sharpens it, so a wrathful man irritates and provokes wrath in another. Some render the words, "as iron delighteth in iron, so a man rejoiceth the countenance of his friend", ^F9: by his company and conversation.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F9 (dxy) "laetatur", a (hdx) "laetari; ferrum in ferro laetatur, et virum laetificant ora socii ejus", Gussetius, p. 242. "ferrum ferro hiluratur, et vir exhilarat vultum sodalis sui", Schultens.

Proverbi 27:17 In-Context

15 Un gocciolar continuo in giorno di gran pioggia, E una donna rissosa, è tutt’uno.

16 Chi vuol tenerla serrata, pubblica di voler serrar del vento, E dell’olio nella sua man destra.

17 Il ferro si pulisce col ferro; Così l’uomo pulisce la faccia del suo prossimo.

18 Chi guarda il fico ne mangia il frutto; Così chi guarda il suo signore sarà onorato.

19 Come l’acqua rappresenta la faccia alla faccia; Così il cuor dell’uomo rappresenta l’uomo all’uomo.