Proverbs 27:17

Iron is whetted by iron; and a man whetteth the face of his friend. (Iron is sharpened by iron; and a man sharpeneth his friend’s mind.)

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

In The King James Version

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

In Context

16He that withholdeth her, (is) as if he holdeth (the) wind; and voideth the oil (out) of his right hand. (He who trieth to hold her, is like him who trieth to hold the wind; and like him who trieth to pick up oil with his fingers.)

18He that keepeth a fig tree (safe), shall eat the fruits thereof; and he that is a keeper of his lord, shall be glorified. (He who keepeth a fig tree safe, shall eat its fruits; and he who keepeth his lord safe, shall be honoured.)

Read all of Proverbs 27

Cross References

Joshua 2:24and said, The Lord hath betaken all the land into our hands, and all the dwellers thereof be cast down by dread. (and they said, The Lord hath delivered all the land into our hands, and all of its inhabitants be greatly afraid of us.)

1 Samuel 13:20Therefore all Israel went down to the Philistines, that each man should sharpen his share, and his pickaxe, and his ax, and his cutting hook; (And so all Israel needed to go down to the Philistines, where each man could sharpen his plowshare, and his pickaxe, and his ax, and his cutting hook;)

2 Samuel 10:11And Joab said, If (the) men of Syria have the mastery against me, thou shalt be to me into help; and if the sons of Ammon have the mastery against thee, I shall help thee;

Proverbs 27:9The heart delighteth in ointment, and diverse odours; and a soul is made sweet by the good counsels of a friend.

Isaiah 35:3Comfort ye [the] clumsid hands (or Strengthen ye the benumbed hands), and make ye strong [the] feeble knees.

1 Thessalonians 3:3that no man be moved in these tribulations (or so that no one be moved, or be shaken, by these troubles). For [ye] yourselves know, that in this thing we be set.

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 27:16-17

15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. 16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself. Here, as before, Solomon laments the case of him that has a peevish passionate wife, that is continually chiding, and making herself and all about her uneasy. 1. It is a grievance that there is no avoiding, for it is like a continual dropping in a very rainy day. The contentions of a neighbour may be like a sharp shower, troublesome for… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Proverbs 27:17