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Proverbs 17:17

箴言 17:17

The Passage

A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.

In the other language

朋友乃时常亲爱，弟兄为患难而生。

Theme

Friendship

Bring a question to this passage

Many readers arrive here from a real question. These are reflections for how this passage speaks to the questions people bring most often — not an answer about what will happen, but an invitation to sit with it slowly.

How do I face this season of pressure at work?

A friend’s love is not reserved for the days when you are easy company. This proverb names constancy and companionship in adversity, giving you something concrete to consider when work pressure makes you withdraw. You may not need someone to solve the whole situation. You may need someone who can listen without turning your difficulty into a performance review. The verse also invites you to notice friendship as something mutual: receiving care and offering it, even in small ways. Asking for support is not the same as handing over your responsibilities. Who could you speak with honestly about the pressure you have been carrying alone?

Carry thisFriendship has room for you when work feels hard.

Other passages for this questionGenesis 1:26-28 · Isaiah 40:31 · 2 Corinthians 10:2-6

I want to learn to love better in this relationship.

A friend's love, this proverb says, is not reserved for easy days. Adversity reveals the need for companionship that does not disappear when someone becomes inconvenient, tired, or troubled. For you, learning to love better may involve asking what faithfulness looks like in ordinary, practical terms: listening without rushing, remembering a concern, or keeping a promise you can responsibly make. Loving at all times does not mean being available without limits or accepting mistreatment. It means that care is more than a passing feeling or a reward for agreeable behavior. You do not have to solve every difficulty to offer genuine companionship. What would steady, honest care look like in this relationship today?

Carry thisSteady love is more than affection on easy days.

Other passages for this questionGenesis 1:26-28 · Isaiah 40:31 · 2 Corinthians 10:2-6

What do I need to let go of in the coming weeks?

Friendship is measured here by love that remains, especially when life is difficult. This proverb does not directly say what you should let go of, but it offers a lens for looking at how you carry hardship. You may be holding an expectation that you must be easy company, useful, or composed before you can receive care. The friend described here does not reserve love for your strongest days. That does not make every relationship safe or require you to trust without discernment. It does invite you to consider whether self-sufficiency has become isolation. With whom could you let go of pretending that you are managing everything well?

Carry thisFaithful friendship has room for you in difficulty.

Other passages for this questionGenesis 1:26-28 · Isaiah 40:31 · 2 Corinthians 10:2-6

How can I find stillness in a busy life?

A faithful friend may belong in your search for stillness. This proverb does not speak directly about quiet or a busy schedule, but it describes love that remains through changing circumstances and companionship in adversity. When life is crowded, you may treat friendship as one more obligation, or withdraw because you have nothing left to give. The verse offers a picture of relationship that is not limited to easy days. You might make room for an honest conversation in which you do not have to appear composed or productive. This proverb does not directly address stillness. Which friendship offers room for you to be honest about the weight of your busy days?

Carry thisFriendship has room for you when life is difficult.

Other passages for this questionGenesis 1:26-28 · Isaiah 40:31 · 2 Corinthians 10:2-6

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Proverbs 17 — in context

11An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

12Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

13Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

14The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.

15He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

16Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?

17A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.

18A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.

19He who loves disobedience loves strife. One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.

20One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.

21He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.

22A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

23A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.

More from Proverbs

Related topics

Relationships and Family

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