Internet Verse Search Commentaries Word Analysis ITL - draft

Proverbs 27:17

NETBible	As¹ iron sharpens² iron, so a person³ sharpens his friend.⁴
NIV © biblegateway Pro 27:17	As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
NASB © biblegateway Pro 27:17	Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.
NLT © biblegateway Pro 27:17	As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.
MSG © biblegateway Pro 27:17	You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.
BBE © SABDAweb Pro 27:17	Iron makes iron sharp; so a man makes sharp his friend.
NRSV © bibleoremus Pro 27:17	Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits of another.
NKJV © biblegateway Pro 27:17	As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
[+] More English


KJV	Iron <01270> sharpeneth <02300> (8799) iron <01270>_; so a man <0376> sharpeneth <02300> (8686) the countenance <06440> of his friend <07453>_.
NASB © biblegateway Pro 27:17	Iron <01270> sharpens <02302> iron <01270> , So one man <0376> sharpens <02302> another <06440> <7453 >.
LXXM	(34:17) sidhrov <4604> N-NSM sidhron <4604> N-ASM oxunei {V-PAI-3S} anhr <435> N-NSM de <1161> PRT paroxunei <3947> V-PAI-3S proswpon <4383> N-ASN etairou <2083> N-GSM
NET [draft] ITL	As iron <01270> sharpens <02300> iron <01270> , so a person <0376> sharpens <02300> his friend <07453> .
HEBREW	wher <07453> ynp <06440> dxy <02300> syaw <0376> dxy <02300> lzrbb <01270> lzrb (27:17) <01270>

NETBible

As¹ iron sharpens² iron, so a person³ sharpens his friend.⁴

NET Notes

¹tn The term “as” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation to clarify the comparison.

²tn BDB classifies the verb in the first colon as a Qal apocopated jussive of I חָדָה (khadah, “to grow sharp”; BDB 292 s.v.), and the verb in the second half of the verse (יַחַד, yakhad) as a Hiphil apocopated jussive. The difference would be: “let iron by means of iron grow sharp, and let a man sharpen the countenance of his friend.” But it makes more sense to take them both as Hiphil forms, the first being in pause. Other suggestions have been put forward for the meaning of the word, but the verb “sharpens” fits the context the best, and is followed by most English versions. The verb may be a shortened form of the imperfect rather than a jussive.

³tn Heb “and a man,” although the context does not indicate this should be limited to males only.

⁴tn Heb “sharpens the face of his friend.” The use of the word “face” (cf. KJV, ASV “countenance”) would here emphasize that it is the personality or character that is being sharpened. Constructive criticism sharpens character. Use of the wits in interaction that makes two people sharp as a razor (W. McKane, Proverbs [OTL], 615); another example, from the Talmud, is that of two students sharpening each other in the study of the Torah (b. Ta’anit 7a).