Proverbs 17:9
New International Version
Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

New Living Translation
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

English Standard Version
Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

Berean Standard Bible
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.

King James Bible
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

New King James Version
He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.

New American Standard Bible
One who conceals an offense seeks love, But one who repeats a matter separates close friends.

NASB 1995
He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.

NASB 1977
He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.

Legacy Standard Bible
He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates close companions.

Amplified Bible
He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, But he who repeats or gossips about a matter separates intimate friends.

Christian Standard Bible
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends.

American Standard Version
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; But he that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He that conceals an evil seeks friendship and he that hates to conceal separates from a close friend.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He that conceals injuries seeks love; but he that hates to hide them separates friends and kindred.

Contemporary English Version
You will keep your friends if you forgive them, but you will lose your friends if you keep talking about what they did wrong.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He that concealeth a transgression. seeketh friendships: he that repeateth it again, separateth friends.

English Revised Version
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love: but he that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Whoever forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever keeps bringing up the issue separates the closest of friends.

Good News Translation
If you want people to like you, forgive them when they wrong you. Remembering wrongs can break up a friendship.

International Standard Version
Anyone who overlooks an offense promotes love, but someone who gossips separates close friends.

JPS Tanakh 1917
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; But he that harpeth on a matter estrangeth a familiar friend.

Literal Standard Version
Whoever is covering transgression is seeking love, | And whoever is repeating a matter | Is separating a familiar friend.

Majority Standard Bible
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.

New American Bible
Whoever overlooks an offense fosters friendship, but whoever gossips about it separates friends.

NET Bible
The one who forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends.

New Revised Standard Version
One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.

New Heart English Bible
He who covers an offense promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.

Webster's Bible Translation
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

World English Bible
He who covers an offense promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.

Young's Literal Translation
Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Better a Dry Morsel in Quietness
8A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds. 9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends. 10A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.…

Cross References
1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

James 5:20
consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.

Proverbs 16:28
A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.

Proverbs 17:10
A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.


Treasury of Scripture

He that covers a transgression seeks love; but he that repeats a matter separates very friends.

that covereth

Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Psalm 32:1
A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

1 Peter 4:8
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

seeketh

Proverbs 16:28
A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

Jump to Previous
Best Chief Close Conceals Covered Covereth Covering Covers Division Familiar Forgives Friend Friends Intimate Keeps Love Makes Matter Offense Promotes Repeateth Repeating Repeats Seeketh Seeking Seeks Separates Separateth Sin Talking Transgression
Jump to Next
Best Chief Close Conceals Covered Covereth Covering Covers Division Familiar Forgives Friend Friends Intimate Keeps Love Makes Matter Offense Promotes Repeateth Repeating Repeats Seeketh Seeking Seeks Separates Separateth Sin Talking Transgression
Proverbs 17
1. Contrasts between the Righteous and the Wicked














(9) He that covereth a transgression seeketh love--i.e., one who does not notice, but rather conceals and excuses, anything done against him; that man "follows after charity" (1Corinthians 14:1). (Comp. Proverbs 10:12.)

He that repeateth a matter, who is always returning to old grievances, "alienates (even his) chief friend."

Verse 9. - He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; i.e. strives to exercise, put in practice, love (comp. Zephaniah 2:8; 1 Corinthians 14:4). Thus Nowack. One who bears patiently and silently, extenuates and conceals, something done or said against him, that man follows after charity, obeys the great law of love (comp. Proverbs 10:12). Some explain the clause to mean, "procures love for himself;" but the second member certainly is not personal, therefore it is more natural to take the first in a general sense. He that repeateth (harpeth on) a matter separateth very friends (Proverbs 16:28). He who is always dwelling on a grievance, returning to it and bringing it forward on every occasion, alienates the greatest friends, only embitters the injury and makes it chronic. Ecclus. 19:7, etc., "Rehearse not unto another that which is told unto thee, and thou shalt fare never the worse. Whether it be to friend or foe, talk not of other men's lives; and if thou canst without offence, reveal them not. For he heard and observed thee, and when time cometh he will hate thee. If thou hast heard a word, let it die with thee; and be bold, it will not burst thee." So the rabbis said: "Abstain from quarrels with thy neighbour; and if thou hast seen something bad of thy friend, let it not pass thy tongue as a slander" (Dukes, § 61). The Mosaic Law had led the way to this duty of forbearance: "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Leviticus 19:18). Septuagint, "He who concealeth injuries seeketh friendship; but he who hateth to conceal them separateth friends and households."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Whoever conceals
מְֽכַסֶּה־ (mə·ḵas·seh-)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3680: To plump, fill up hollows, to cover

an offense
פֶּ֭שַׁע (pe·ša‘)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6588: Transgression

promotes
מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ (mə·ḇaq·qêš)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

love,
אַהֲבָ֑ה (’a·hă·ḇāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 160: Love (noun)

but he who brings it up
וְשֹׁנֶ֥ה (wə·šō·neh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8138: To fold, duplicate, to transmute

separates
מַפְרִ֥יד (map̄·rîḏ)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6504: To break through, spread, separate

friends.
אַלּֽוּף׃ (’al·lūp̄)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 441: Familiar, a friend, gentle, a bullock, a chieftain


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 17:9 He who covers an offense promotes love (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 17:8
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