“The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold”: This line is identical with 17.3a. See there for comments. However, the point made in this saying as a whole is different from that in 17.3.

“And a man is judged by his praise”: “A man” translates the Hebrew; however, New Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation make this inclusive with “a person.” This line in Hebrew has no verb, and Revised Standard Version supplies “is judged”. However, since the first line is about determining the purity of metals, a more satisfactory translation is “is tested.” See Good News Translation. “By his praise” is literally “by the mouth of his praise,” and this may mean “by the praise [or, recognition] he receives from others” or “by the way others speak well of him.” Some interpreters understand this line to mean that the person will demonstrate the quality of his character by the way he handles the praise of others. In this sense Scott translates “Flattery will show what a man is,” and Contemporary English Version “but we are tested by praise.” One example of the way the whole verse may be translated is “Gold and silver, people heat them in a fire to see if they are good or not; but people, the name [reputation] that others give them shows what they are like.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .