The Meaning of Proverbs 6:17 Explained

Proverbs 6:17

KJV: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

YLT: Eyes high -- tongues false -- And hands shedding innocent blood --

Darby: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood;

ASV: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

A proud  look,  a lying  tongue,  and hands  that shed  innocent  blood, 

What does Proverbs 6:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 6:1-19 - Avoid Suretyship And Sloth
A young man, being entreated by his friend to go bond for him, consents, in an easy-going way to become his surety. He promises to be responsible for the other's debt. From that moment he resembles a roe caught by a hunter or a bird snared by a fowler. If any shall have enmeshed himself in an obligation of this kind he is exhorted to spare no pains, to stand on no false pride, but to go with all urgency to the man for whom he has pledged his credit, and get released at all cost. If we can afford to be surety, we can afford to lend the money ourselves. If we cannot do the former, it is weak and foolish to do the latter.
The ants swarm in the woods and fields, and rebuke our laziness and thriftlessness. They work day and might, storing their galleries with food, building mounds which relatively to the size of the builders are three or four times larger than the Pyramids. In sickness they nurse one another; in the winter they feed on their supplies. Learn from the ceaseless industry of Nature, and do something worthy before sundown! [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 6

1  against indebtedness
6  idleness
12  and mischievousness
16  seven things detestable to God
20  the blessings of obedience
25  the mischief of unfaithfulness

What do the individual words in Proverbs 6:17 mean?

a look proud a tongue lying and Hands that shed blood innocent
עֵינַ֣יִם רָ֭מוֹת לְשׁ֣וֹן שָׁ֑קֶר וְ֝יָדַ֗יִם שֹׁפְכ֥וֹת דָּם־ נָקִֽי

עֵינַ֣יִם  a  look 
Parse: Noun, cd
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
רָ֭מוֹת  proud 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine plural
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
לְשׁ֣וֹן  a  tongue 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: לָשֹׁון  
Sense: tongue.
שָׁ֑קֶר  lying 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁקֶר  
Sense: lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood.
וְ֝יָדַ֗יִם  and  Hands 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, fd
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
שֹׁפְכ֥וֹת  that  shed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine plural
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.
דָּם־  blood 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
נָקִֽי  innocent 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: נָקִי 
Sense: clean, free from, exempt, clear, innocent.