Proverbs 17
1 Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
Better is a dry morsel with joy, than a house full of victims with strife.
2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
A wise servant shall rule over foolish sons, and shall divide the inheritance among the brethren.
3 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
As silver is tried by fire, and gold in the furnace: so the Lord trieth the hearts.
4 A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
The evil man obeyeth an unjust tongue: and the deceitful hearkeneth to lying lips.
5 He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
He that despiseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker; and he that rejoiceth at another man’s ruin, shall not be unpunished.
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 are their fathers.
7 Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
Eloquent words do not become a fool, nor lying lips a prince.
8 A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
The expectation of him that expecteth, is a most acceptable jewel: whithersoever he turneth himself, he understandeth wisely.
9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
He that concealeth a transgression. seeketh friendships: he that repeateth it again, separateth friends.
10 A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
A reproof availeth more with a wise man, than a hundred stripes with a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
An evil man always seeketh quarrels: but a cruel angel shall 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 meet a bear robbed of her whelps, than a fool trusting in his own folly.
13 If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
He that rendereth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
The beginning of quarrels is as when one letteth out water: before he suffereth reproach he forsaketh judgment.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, both are abominable before God.
16 Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
What doth it avail a fool to have riches, seeing he cannot buy wisdom? He that maketh his house high, seeketh a downfall: and he that refuseth to learn, shall fall into evils.
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
He that is a friend loveth at all times: and a brother is proved in distress.
18 A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
A foolish man will clap hands, when he is surety for his friend.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
He that studieth discords, loveth quarrels: and he that exalteth his door, seeketh ruin.
20 The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
He that is of a perverse heart, shall not find good: and he that perverteth his tongue, shall fall into evil.
21 A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
A fool is born to his own disgrace: and even his father shall not rejoice in a fool.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
A joyful mind maketh age flourishing: a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones.
23 A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
The wicked man taketh gifts out of the bosom, that he may pervert the paths of judgment.
24 Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
Wisdom shineth in the face of the wise: the eyes of fools are in 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 the anger of the father: and the sorrow of the mother that bore him.
26 It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
It is no good thing to do hurt to the just: nor to strike the prince, who judgeth right.
27 A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
He that setteth bounds to his words. is knowing and wise: and the man of understanding is of a precious spirit.
28 Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
Even a fool, if he will hold his peace shall be counted wise: and if he close his lips, a man of understanding.
