箴言 17
1 设筵满屋，大家相争， 不如有块干饼，大家相安。
It is better [to eat] a dry piece [of bread] and not have strife/quarrels than to have a big feast in a house where [everyone] is quarreling.
2 仆人办事聪明，必管辖贻羞之子， 又在众子中同分产业。
A slave who acts wisely will [some day] be the boss of his master’s disgraceful son and when his master dies, the slave will receive part of his master’s possessions.
3 鼎为炼银，炉为炼金； 惟有耶和华熬炼人心。
[Workers put] silver and gold in a very hot furnace [to burn out what is impure], and Yahweh [similarly] examines people’s inner beings [to see if they are pure].
4 行恶的，留心听奸诈之言； 说谎的，侧耳听邪恶之语。
Those who do what is evil pay attention to people who say [MTY] what is evil, and liars pay attention to [other people’s] lies.
5 戏笑穷人的，是辱没造他的主； 幸灾乐祸的，必不免受罚。
Those who make fun of poor [people] insult God, the one who made the poor [people], [and] those who are happy when [someone else has] troubles will certainly be punished [LIT] [by God].
6 子孙为老人的冠冕； 父亲是儿女的荣耀。
Old [people] are [usually] proud of [MET] their grandchildren, [just like] children are [usually] proud of their parents.
7 愚顽人说美言本不相宜， 何况君王说谎话呢？
Fine/Eloquent speech is not suitable for foolish people to say, just like lies are not suitable for rulers [to say].
8 贿赂在馈送的人眼中看为宝玉， 随处运动都得顺利。
People think that a bribe is like a magic stone [to persuade someone to do what they want him to do]; they think that because of the bribe, that person will do whatever they want him to do.
9 遮掩人过的，寻求人爱； 屡次挑错的，离间密友。
If you want people to like/love you, forgive them for the wrong things that they do to you. If you continue to remind them about those wrong things, they will no longer be your friends.
10 一句责备话深入聪明人的心， 强如责打愚昧人一百下。
Rebuking people who have good sense will accomplish more for them than hitting them 100 times [with a stick].
11 恶人只寻背叛， 所以必有严厉的使者奉差攻击他。
[Because] wicked people are always trying to cause trouble, someone will be sent to severely punish them.
12 宁可遇见丢崽子的母熊， 不可遇见正行愚妄的愚昧人。
A mother bear whose cubs have been taken away from her is dangerous, but it is more dangerous to confront a foolish person who is doing something foolish.
13 以恶报善的， 祸患必不离他的家。
If someone does something evil in return for something good being done to him, evil/trouble will never leave that person’s family.
14 纷争的起头如水放开， 所以，在争闹之先必当止息争竞。
Starting a quarrel is like allowing water to start to leak out of a dam; they both need to be stopped before they get worse.
15 定恶人为义的，定义人为恶的， 这都为耶和华所憎恶。
There are two things that Yahweh hates: (Condemning innocent [people]/Saying that people who have done nothing wrong must be punished), and declaring that people who have done wicked things should not be punished.
16 愚昧人既无聪明， 为何手拿价银买智慧呢？
It is useless to allow foolish people [RHQ] to try to become wise by paying for it, because they do not have enough good sense to become wise.
17 朋友乃时常亲爱， 弟兄为患难而生。
Friends love [others] all the time, and relatives are able to help us when we have troubles.
18 在邻舍面前击掌作保 乃是无知的人。
[If someone borrows money from another person], it is foolish for you to promise [IDM] that you will pay the money back if that other person is unable to pay back the money that he borrowed.
19 喜爱争竞的，是喜爱过犯； 高立家门的，乃自取败坏。
Those who like to sin [also] like to cause strife/trouble; [and] those who build fancy doors in their houses [to show that they are very wealthy] (OR, speak proudly) are inviting disaster.
20 心存邪僻的，寻不着好处； 舌弄是非的，陷在祸患中。
Those who (have perverse minds/are always thinking about doing evil things) will not prosper, and disasters will happen to those who always tell lies.
21 生愚昧子的，必自愁苦； 愚顽人的父毫无喜乐。
Children who are foolish [soon] cause their parents to be very sad; their parents will not be joyful at all.
22 喜乐的心乃是良药； 忧伤的灵使骨枯干。
Being cheerful is [like swallowing] good medicine; being discouraged/gloomy [all the time will] (drain away your energy/cause you to become weak) [MTY].
23 恶人暗中受贿赂， 为要颠倒判断。
Wicked people/judges accept bribes that are given to them secretly, and as a result they do not decide matters justly/fairly.
24 明哲人眼前有智慧； 愚昧人眼望地极。
Those who have good sense determine to do what is wise, but foolish people are always thinking about many different things [and never decide what they should do].
25 愚昧子使父亲愁烦， 使母亲忧苦。
Children who are foolish cause their father to be sad and [also] cause their mother to be very sorrowful.
26 刑罚义人为不善； 责打君子为不义。
It is not right to force someone who has done nothing wrong to pay a fine; it is wrong to punish good/respected people.
27 寡少言语的，有知识； 性情温良的，有聪明。
Those who have good sense do not talk a lot, and those who (control their tempers/keep themselves from becoming very angry) are [truly] wise.
28 愚昧人若静默不言也可算为智慧； 闭口不说也可算为聪明。
People [may] think that foolish people who do not say anything are wise; if foolish people (do not say anything/keep their mouths shut), others will think that they are [very] intelligent.
