Proverbs 17:27 - Meaning and Application

There are two ways a man shows himself to be wise. One is by the calm and gentle temper of his mind. A man of understanding has an excellent spirit, or, as the word can mean, a precious spirit. He watches his inner life carefully, so it stays as it should be. That makes him steady, pleasant to live with, and easy on himself and others. A gracious spirit is a valuable thing, and it makes a person more lovable and better than his neighbor.

Some read the verse as saying he has a cool spirit. That means he is not burned up by anger or thrown into confusion by strong passions. He stays even and steady. A cool head with a warm heart is a wonderful combination.

The other way a wise man shows his wisdom is by the good control of his tongue. A wise man will speak little, because he is afraid of saying the wrong thing. A person who has knowledge and wants to use it well is careful when he speaks. He says little, so he has time to think, and he keeps back his words because it is better to save them than to waste them.

This is so often true that even a fool can seem wise if he is quiet enough. If a fool holds his peace, thoughtful people may take him for a wise man, because nothing in his speech proves otherwise. They may think he is observing what others say, learning from it, and thinking before he speaks so that he can answer well. It is easy to win people’s good opinion and even fool them.

But God sees more than people do. When a fool keeps quiet, God knows his heart and the folly stored up there. To God, thoughts are as words, so he cannot be mistaken when he judges people.