Proverbs 17
1 Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of flesh-banquets with strife.
2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
A prudent servant shall rule over a son who causeth shame; Yea, with brothers he shall share the inheritance.
3 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
The refining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But the LORD trieth hearts.
4 A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
An evil-doer listeneth to mischievous lips; And a liar giveth ear to a destructive tongue.
5 He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; He that is glad at calamities shall not go 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 the aged, And their fathers the glory of sons.
7 Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
Excellent speech becometh not the base; How much less lying lips the noble!
8 A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of him who taketh it; Whithersoever it turneth it hath success.
9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
He who covereth an offence seeketh love; But he who recurreth to a matter removeth a friend.
10 A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
A reproof will penetrate deeper into a wise man Than a hundred stripes into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
An evil man seeketh only rebellion; Therefore shall a cruel messenger be sent against him.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
Let a man meet a bear robbed of her whelps, Rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
Whoso returneth 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 strife is as when one letteth out water; Therefore leave off contention before it rolleth onward.
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 alike are an abomination to the LORD.
16 Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
Why should a price be in the hand of a fool To get wisdom, seeing he hath no sense?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
A friend loveth at all times; But in adversity he is born a brother.
18 A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
A man who lacketh understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
He who loveth strife loveth transgression; He who raiseth high his gate 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 deceitful heart shall find no good; And he that turneth about with his tongue shall fall into mischief.
21 A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
Whoso begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; Yea, the father of the fool hath no joy.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
A merry heart doeth good to the body; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
23 A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
The wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of judgment.
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 that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool 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 a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bore him.
26 It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
Moreover, to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to smite the noble for their equity.
27 A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
He that spareth his words is imbued with knowledge; And he that is of a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
Even a fool, when he is silent, is accounted wise; He that shutteth his lips is a man of understanding.
