Proverbs 17:4 kjv

A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

Proverbs 17:4 nkjv

An evildoer gives heed to false lips; A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.

Proverbs 17:4 niv

A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

Proverbs 17:4 esv

An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

Proverbs 17:4 nlt

Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip;
liars pay close attention to slander.

Proverbs 17 verses

Proverbs 17 4 Meaning

Proverbs 17:4 unveils a crucial aspect of human character: one's readiness to receive specific types of speech reveals the inner disposition. An evildoer actively seeks out and embraces malicious counsel and deceitful talk because it aligns with their wicked heart. Similarly, a liar does not merely encounter but readily listens to destructive and false speech, as it often serves their purposes of deception or validates their own perverted nature. The proverb highlights a magnetic principle in morality: individuals are drawn to and find affinity with the words that reflect their inner spiritual and ethical state.

Proverbs 17 4 Context

Proverbs 17, typical of the "Solomonic Collection," consists of independent sayings offering practical wisdom for righteous living. The chapter addresses themes such as human character, relationships, speech, integrity, and the consequences of actions, often contrasting the wise and the foolish, the righteous and the wicked. Verse 4 fits within this broader mosaic, emphasizing that a person's receptiveness to specific types of speech is a strong indicator of their moral condition.

Historically, in ancient Israel, wisdom literature was central to educating young men in moral and practical living. Speech was regarded as immensely powerful, capable of building or destroying, conveying truth or deceit. In a largely oral culture, what one spoke and what one heard carried significant weight and influence within the communal framework. This proverb implicitly counters tendencies in some ancient Near Eastern societies that valued cunning and deception as instruments of power or treated misleading omens/oracles seriously. Israelite wisdom consistently taught discerning truth from falsehood, rooting it in the character of Yahweh.

Proverbs 17 4 Word analysis

• An evil person: (Hebrew: רָשָׁע, rasha') One whose character is consistently wicked or guilty before God; not merely an act but an ingrained disposition against righteousness. Their moral corruption makes them predisposed to wicked inputs.
• listens: (Hebrew: שָׁמַע, shama') More than passive hearing; it implies an active paying attention, inclining the ear, understanding, and often an accompanying assent or readiness to obey.
• to the lips: (Hebrew: שְׂפַת, sefat) Metonymically refers to the speech or words that issue from the mouth. It focuses on the source of communication.
• of wickedness: (Hebrew: אָוֶן, aven) Implies mischief, iniquity, moral evil, harm, or falseness. It denotes speech that is corrupting, deceptive, or leads to ruin.
• And a liar: (Hebrew: כָּזָב, kazav) A person habitually given to falsehood and deceit; a character defined by untruthfulness.
• gives ear: (Hebrew: מַאֲזִין, ma'azin) A causative form of azán, meaning to "make the ear active"; similar to shama' but perhaps emphasizing a more intentional or deliberate reception. Reinforces the willing engagement.
• to a mischievous: (Hebrew: הַוּוֹת, hawwot) Means mischief, destruction, ruin, or calamity. This describes speech that is actively harmful, designed to bring about trouble or collapse.
• tongue: (Hebrew: לָשׁוֹן, lashon) The physical organ, used metonymically for speech. A common biblical metaphor for words and their potential for good or evil.

Words-group analysis

• "An evil person listens to the lips of wickedness": This phrase draws a direct correlation between internal moral state (the evil person) and external receptivity to certain kinds of input (wicked speech). It underscores that those whose hearts are set on evil naturally find wicked discourse agreeable or useful. They are not merely exposed to it but actively give attention to it, suggesting an inherent affinity for slander, gossip, malicious scheming, or corrupt counsel. This willing absorption reinforces their wicked character.
• "And a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue": This second, parallel clause reinforces the theme, specifically applying it to deceivers. A liar is innately drawn to speech that is not only false but actively harmful and designed to create ruin. They do not just passively hear but "give ear"—lean in, pay close attention, and embrace—such discourse, often because it serves their deceptive aims or validates their deceitful worldview. The "mischievous tongue" often plans or spreads destructive falsehoods, which liars readily embrace. Together, both lines reveal that what one chooses to absorb reflects, strengthens, and ultimately exposes their inner moral landscape.

Proverbs 17 4 Bonus section

This proverb underscores the active participation involved in receiving information; it is not a neutral process. The choice to "listen" or "give ear" implies a filtering process, where the heart's disposition acts as a spiritual sensor. A wicked heart readily admits and processes wicked input, whereas a righteous heart would reject it as an abomination. This suggests a reciprocal relationship where the choice of what one hears continually shapes, and is shaped by, one's inner moral landscape. It serves as a reminder that personal responsibility extends beyond what one speaks to what one chooses to permit entry into one's mind and spirit. It aligns with the biblical principle that bad company and evil communications corrupt good character, but importantly, it also explains why individuals gravitate towards certain types of company or communication – their heart already has a pre-existing affinity.

Proverbs 17 4 Commentary

Proverbs 17:4 is a poignant observation on the inherent bias of human perception, revealing that individuals' internal moral compass dictates what kinds of external speech they welcome. An "evil person" finds an echo in "lips of wickedness"; they listen with receptiveness, perhaps because such talk validates their own inclinations, offers paths to their evil ends, or simply resonates with their corrupted spirit. Their moral decay is deepened by what they permit their minds to consume. Likewise, a "liar" is instinctively drawn to a "mischievous tongue," one that deals in deception and plans harm. This suggests a symbiotic relationship where deceivers affirm and empower one another's destructive falsehoods, either by providing them or eagerly receiving them. The proverb cautions against assuming passive listening; instead, it highlights active absorption, demonstrating that what one chooses to listen to and align with is a revealing barometer of the heart's true condition. It serves as both a diagnostic tool for understanding human character and a warning against indulging any form of malicious or false speech.

Practical usage:

• A person who consistently shares unverified, scandalous rumors might indicate a delight in such malicious talk, rather than a love for truth.
• In legal or business settings, someone who actively seeks out dishonest counsel or finds pleasure in deceptive schemes often reveals an underlying readiness to participate in fraud.
• Observing which public figures or media channels an individual avidly follows, especially if they are known for spreading divisive, dishonest, or hateful rhetoric, can reveal that person's true leanings.