Proverbs 17
1 Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
Melior est buccella sicca cum gaudio, quam domus plena victimis cum iurgio.
2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
Servus sapiens dominabitur filiis stultis, et inter fratres hereditatem dividet.
3 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
Sicut igne probatur argentum, et aurum camino: ita corda probat Dominus.
4 A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
Malus obedit linguæ iniquæ: et fallax obtemperat labiis mendacibus.
5 He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
Qui despicit pauperem, exprobrat Factori eius: et qui ruina lætatur alterius, non erit impunitus.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
Corona senum filii filiorum: et gloria filiorum patres eorum.
7 Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
Non decent stultum verba composita: nec principem labium mentiens.
8 A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Gemma gratissima, expectatio præstolantis: quocumque se vertit, prudenter intelligit.
9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
Qui celat delictum, quærit amicitias: qui altero sermone repetit, separat fœderatos.
10 A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
Plus proficit correptio apud prudentem, quam centum plagæ apud stultum.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
Semper iurgia quærit malus: Angelus autem crudelis mittetur contra eum.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
Expedit magis ursæ occurrere raptis fœtibus, quam fatuo confidenti in stultitia sua.
13 If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
Qui reddit mala pro bonis, non recedet malum de domo eius.
14 To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
Qui dimittit aquam, caput est iurgiorum: et antequam patiatur contumeliam, iudicium deserit.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
Qui iustificat impium, et qui condemnat iustum, abominabilis est uterque apud Deum.
16 Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
Quid prodest stulto habere divitias, cum sapientiam emere non possit? Qui altum facit domum suam, quærit ruinam: et qui evitat discere, incidet in mala.
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Omni tempore diligit qui amicus est: et frater in angustiis comprobatur.
18 A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
Stultus homo plaudet manibus cum spoponderit pro amico suo.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
Qui meditatur discordias, diligit rixas: et qui exaltat ostium, quærit ruinam.
20 The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
Qui perversi cordis est, non inveniet bonum: et qui vertit linguam, incidet in malum.
21 A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
Natus est stultus in ignominiam suam: sed nec pater in fatuo lætabitur.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Animus gaudens ætatem floridam facit: spiritus tristis exiccat ossa.
23 A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
Munera de sinu impius accipit, ut pervertat semitas iudicii.
24 Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
In facie prudentis lucet sapientia: oculi stultorum in finibus terræ.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
Ira patris, filius stultus: et dolor matris quæ genuit eum.
26 It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
Non est bonum, damnum inferre iusto: nec percutere principem, qui recta iudicat.
27 A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
Qui moderatur sermones suos, doctus et prudens est: et pretiosi spiritus vir eruditus.
28 Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
Stultus quoque si tacuerit, sapiens reputabitur: et si compresserit labia sua, intelligens.
