Proverbs 17
1 Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
Better a bit of dry bread in peace, than a house full of feasting and violent behaviour.
2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
A servant who does wisely will have rule over a son causing shame, and will have his part in the heritage among brothers.
3 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.
4 A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.
5 He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
Whoever makes sport of the poor puts shame on his Maker; and he who is glad because of trouble will not go free from punishment.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.
8 A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
An offering of money is like a stone of great price in the eyes of him who has it: wherever he goes, he does well.
9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
He who keeps a sin covered is looking for love; but he who keeps on talking of a thing makes division between friends.
10 A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
A word of protest goes deeper into one who has sense than a hundred blows into a foolish man.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
An uncontrolled man is only looking for trouble, so a cruel servant will be sent against him.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
It is better to come face to face with a bear whose young ones have been taken away than with a foolish man acting foolishly.
13 If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
If anyone gives back evil for good, evil will never go away from his house.
14 To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
The start of fighting is like the letting out of water: so give up before it comes to blows.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
He who gives a decision for the evil-doer and he who gives a decision against the upright, are equally disgusting to the Lord.
16 Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble.
18 A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
A man without sense gives his hand in an agreement, and makes himself responsible before his neighbour.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
The lover of fighting is a lover of sin: he who makes high his doorway is looking for destruction.
20 The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
Nothing good comes to him whose heart is fixed on evil purposes: and he who has an evil tongue will come to trouble.
21 A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
He who has an unwise son gets sorrow for himself, and the father of a foolish son has no joy.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
A glad heart makes a healthy body, but a crushed spirit makes the bones dry.
23 A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
A sinner takes an offering out of his robe, to get a decision for himself in a cause.
24 Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitter pain to her who gave him birth.
26 It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
To give punishment to the upright is not good, or to give blows to the noble for their righteousness.
27 A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
He who has knowledge says little: and he who has a calm spirit is a man of good sense.
28 Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
Even the foolish man, when he keeps quiet, is taken to be wise: when his lips are shut he is credited with good sense.
