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