Proverbs 27:17

Translations

King James Version (KJV)

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

American King James Version (AKJV)

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

American Standard Version (ASV)

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

Basic English Translation (BBE)

Iron makes iron sharp; so a man makes sharp his friend.

Webster's Revision

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

World English Bible

Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend's countenance.

English Revised Version (ERV)

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

Definitions for Proverbs 27:17

Countenance - Appearance.

Clarke's Proverbs 27:17 Bible Commentary

Iron sharpeneth iron - As hard iron, viz., steel, will bring a knife to a better edge when it is properly whetted against it: so one friend may be the means of exciting another to reflect, dive deeply into, and illustrate a subject, without which whetting or excitement, this had never taken place. Had Horace seen this proverb in the Septuagint translation when he wrote to the Pisos?

Ergo fungar vice cotis, acutum

Reddere quae ferrum valet, exors ipsa secandi.

Hor. Ars. Poet., ver. 304.

"But let me sharpen others, as the hone

Gives edge to razors, though itself have none."

Francis.

Barnes's Proverbs 27:17 Bible Commentary

The proverb expresses the gain of mutual counsel as found in clear, well-defined thoughts. Two minds, thus acting on each other, become more acute. This is better than to see in "sharpening" the idea of provoking, and the point of the maxim in the fact that the quarrels of those who have been friends are bitter in proportion to their previous intimacy.

Wesley's Proverbs 27:17 Bible Commentary

27:17 Iron - Iron tools are made sharp and fit for use, by rubbing them against the file, or some other iron. The countenance - The company or conversation of his friend.