A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
Parallel translations
- WEB An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
- KJV A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
- NKJV An evildoer gives heed to false lips; A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.
- NASB An evildoer listens to wicked lips; A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
- NLT Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Wrongdoers and liars are drawn to wicked and deceitful speech. It matters because we are attracted to words that match the bent of our own hearts.
Overview
This proverb observes that evildoers give attention to wicked lips and liars to malicious tongues. People listen eagerly to what suits their character. It warns that what we choose to hear reveals and shapes our hearts, calling instead for ears tuned to truth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 2 Tim 4:3–4For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.
- 1 Jn 4:5They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them.
- Prov 28:4Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them.
- Isa 30:10They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions.
- Jer 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?
- Rev 13:3–8One of the heads of the beast appeared to be mortally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world marveled and followed the beast.
- 1 Kgs 22:6–28So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
- 1 Sam 22:7–11Then Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Is the son of Jesse giving all of you fields and vineyards and making you commanders of thousands or hundreds?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 17:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.