Proverbs 17:4

4 An evil person listens to evil words. A liar pays attention to words that are harmful.

Proverbs 17:4 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 17:4

A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips
A man of an ill spirit, of a mischievous disposition, that delights in doing wickedness; he carefully attends to such as speak falsehood; he listens to lies and calumnies, loves to hear ill reports of persons, and takes pleasure in spreading them to the hurt of their characters; and men of bad hearts and lives give heed to seducing spirits, to false teachers, to inch as speak lies in hypocrisy, who sooth and harden them in their wickedness; [and] a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue:
or, "to a tongue of destruction" ^F1; a culumniating, backbiting tongue, which destroys the good name and reputation of men; and he that is given to lying is made up of lying, or is a lie itself, as the word signifies; who roves and makes a lie, as antichrist and his followers; such an one hearkens diligently to everything that may detract from the character of those especially he bears an ill will to: or it may be better rendered, "he that hearkens to a lie [gives heed] to a naughty tongue" ^F2; for a lying tongue is a naughty one, evil in itself, pernicious in its effects and consequences.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F1 (twh Nwvl le) "perniciosae linguae", Tigurine version; "linguae confractionum calamitatum, injuriarum", Vatablus; "ad linguam exiliorum", Michaelis.
F2 So Michaelis.

Proverbs 17:4 In-Context

2 A wise servant will rule over a shameful child. He will be given part of the property as if he were a family member.

3 Fire tests silver. Heat tests gold. But the LORD tests our hearts.

4 An evil person listens to evil words. A liar pays attention to words that are harmful.

5 Anyone who laughs at those who are poor makes fun of their Maker. Anyone who is happy when others suffer will be punished.

6 Grandchildren are like a crown to older people. And children are proud of their parents.