Proverbes 27:17

17 Comme le fer aiguise le fer, ainsi un homme en aiguise un autre.

Proverbes 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.

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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.

Proverbes 27:17 In-Context

15 Une gouttière continuelle au temps d'une grosse pluie, et une femme querelleuse, c'est tout un.

16 Qui veut la retenir essaie d'arrêter le vent et de saisir de l'huile de sa main.

17 Comme le fer aiguise le fer, ainsi un homme en aiguise un autre.

18 Celui qui garde le figuier, mangera de son fruit; ainsi celui qui garde son maître sera honoré.

19 Comme dans l'eau le visage répond au visage, ainsi le cœur d'un homme répond à celui d'un autre homme.