Proverbs 17 · Verse 26

Proverbs 17:26

Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
Proverbs 17:26, King James Version

Proverbs 17:26 in other translations

BSBIt is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
WEBAlso to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.
ASVAlso to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to smite the noble for their uprightness.
YLTAlso, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.
DARBYTo punish a righteous man is not good, nor to strike nobles because of their uprightness.
BBETo give punishment to the upright is not good, or to give blows to the noble for their righteousness.
WebsterAlso to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.

What does Proverbs 17:26 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
26. Also--that is, Equally to be avoided are other sins: punishing good subjects, or resisting good rulers.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 Nor to strike princes for equity - To fall out with the ruler of the people, and to take off his head under pretense of his not being a just or equitable governor, is unjust. To kill a king on the ground of justice is a most dreadful omen to any land. Where was it ever done, that it promoted the public prosperity? No experiment of this kind has ever yet succeeded, howsoever worthless the king might be.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
It is very wrong to find fault for doing what is duty.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 17:26 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

גַּ֤םgamalsoH1571
עֲנ֣וֹשׁa.No.oshto impose a fineH6064
לַצַּדִּ֣יקla.tza.Dikto <the> righteous [person]H6662
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
ט֑וֹבTov[is] goodH2896
לְהַכּ֖וֹתle.ha.Kotto strikeH5221
נְדִיבִ֣יםne.di.Vimnoble [people]H5081
עַל\־'al-[is] onH5921
יֹֽשֶׁר\׃Yo.sheruprightnessH3476

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 17:26

  • Proverbs 17:15

    He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.

  • Proverbs 18:5

    It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

  • John 18:22

    And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

  • Job 34:18-19

    Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly? How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

  • Micah 5:1

    Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.

  • 2 Samuel 3:39

    And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

  • Genesis 18:25

    That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

  • 2 Samuel 3:23-25

    When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace. Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.

  • 2 Samuel 19:7

    Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the Lord, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

  • 2 Samuel 16:7-8

    And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
to punish.
15; 18:5; Ge 18:25
to strike.
2Sa 3:23-25,39; 16:7,8; 19:7; Job 34:18,19; Mic 5:1; Joh 18:22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 17:25

    A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

  • Proverbs 17:26

    Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.

  • Proverbs 17:27

    He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

Read all of Proverbs 17

Proverbs 17:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Ciertamente no es bueno condenar al justo, ni herir á los príncipes que hacen lo recto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Il n’est pas bon de punir le juste, et de frapper les nobles à cause de leur droiture.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Auch den Gerechten zu bestrafen, ist nicht gut, Edle zu schlagen um der Geradheit willen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Non est bonum damnum inferre justo, nec percutere principem qui recta judicat.