Verse 26
"Also to punish the righteous is not good, Also to smite the noble for their uprightness."
"To impose a fine on the innocent is not right, or to flog the noble for their integrity."[36] "It is not fair to fine the innocent, and most unfair to scourge a noble soul."[37] In a society like our own, where not even the most vicious criminals are consistently either fined or scourged, and the latter never at all, it is hard to understand why proverbs like this were needed.
"He that spareth his words hath knowledge; And he that is of a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise."
Harris pointed out that, "There are two badges of a wise man: reticence, and calmness of temper."[38] This is the message of Proverbs 17:27. Proverbs 17:28 reveals that even a fool who exhibits reticence may be mistaken for a wise man.
Batsell Baxter, a president of A.C.C., had a favorite chapel yarn which he told more than once. A retarded little boy was told by his father, "Son, just don't talk; and they won't find out that you don't know very much." A prominent visitor came. He asked the little boy a few questions, "How old are you"? "Where do you go to school"? "What is your brother doing"? Etc. The little boy made no response; and the visitor said, "I see that you don't know very much"! Whereupon the little boy burst into tears, saying, "Daddy, they found it out anyway"!
"The implication here is that silence is nearly always a good thing."[39] "Even a fool may be counted wise if he keeps his mouth shut."[40]
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