- Insight from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 17—In this chapter of contrasts between righteousness and wickedness there are three repeated subjects. •Conversation (vv. 4, 7, 20, 27, 28): wicked people have wicked tongues, but a person who knows how to keep his mouth shut will be counted wise even if he is a fool (v. 28). Restraining the tongue’s movement is a mark of wisdom. •Children (vv. 6, 21, 25): a foolish child grieves his parents and grandchildren are the delight of grandparents. •Courts (vv. 8, 13, 15, 12, 26): righteousness emphasizes justice, but wickedness is not interested in justice and readily receives bribes (“gifts”) to pervert justice. Those who justify evil and condemn righteousness (which many of our courts do today) are an abomination to the Lord.