Text -- Proverbs 17:27-28 (NET)

17:27 The truly wise person restrains his words, and the one who stays calm is discerning. 17:28 Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Pro 17:27

¹ tn Heb “the one knowing knowledge.” The cognate accusative underscores the meaning of the participle – this is a truly knowledgeable person.

² sn The participle חוֹשֵׂךְ (khosekh) means “withholds; restrains; refrains; spares; holds in check,” etc. One who has knowledge speaks carefully.

³ tn Heb “cool of spirit.” This genitive of specification describes one who is “calm” (so NCV, TEV, CEV) or “even-tempered” (so NIV, NLT); he is composed.

NET Notes: Pro 17:28

¹ tn The imperfect tense here denotes possibility: One who holds his tongue [may be considered] discerning.

² tn The Niphal participle is used in the declarative/estimative sense with stative verbs: “to be discerning” (Qal) becomes “to be declared discerning” (Niphal). The proverb is teaching that silence is one evidence of wisdom, and that even a fool can thereby appear wise. D. Kidner says that a fool who takes this advice is no longer a complete fool (Proverbs [TOTC], 127). He does not, of course, become wise – he just hides his folly.