Proverbs 17
1 A dry morsel with gladness is better than a house full of sacrifices along with conflict.
Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A wise servant shall rule over foolish sons, and he will divide the inheritance among brothers.
A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 Just as silver is tested by fire, and gold is tested in the furnace, so also does the Lord test hearts.
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
4 The evil obey an unjust tongue. And the false are submissive to lying lips.
A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever despises the poor rebukes his Maker. And whoever rejoices in the ruin of another will not go unpunished.
He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Sons of sons are the crown of old age. And the glory of sons is their fathers.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
7 Well-chosen words are not fitting for the foolish, nor are lying lips fitting for a leader.
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
8 The expectation of those who stand ready is a most pleasing jewel. Whichever way he turns himself, he understands prudently.
A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Whoever conceals an offense seeks friendships. Whoever repeats the words of another separates allies.
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
10 A correction benefits more with a wise man, than a hundred stripes with a fool.
A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
11 The evil one continually seeks conflicts. But a cruel Angel shall be sent against him.
An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 It is more expedient to meet a bear robbed of her young, than the foolish trusting in his own folly.
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoever repays evil for good, evil shall not withdraw from his house.
If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 Whoever releases the water is the head of the conflict. And just before he suffers contempt, he abandons judgment.
To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
15 Those who justify the impious, and those who condemn the just, both are abominable with God.
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
16 What does it profit the foolish to have riches, when he is not able to buy wisdom? Whoever makes his house high seeks ruin. And whoever shuns learning shall fall into evils.
Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
17 Whoever is a friend loves at all times. And a brother is proved by distress.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A foolish man will clap his hands, when he makes a pledge for his friend.
A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
19 Whoever dwells on discord loves disputes. And whoever exalts his door seeks ruin.
He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
20 Whoever is of a perverse heart shall not find good. And whoever turns his tongue shall fall into evil.
The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21 A foolish one is born into his own disgrace. But his father will not rejoice in one who is senseless.
A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A joyful soul makes a lifetime flourish. A gloomy spirit dries out the bones.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 The impious receives gifts from the bosom, so that he may pervert the paths of judgment.
A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
24 Prudence shines from the face of the wise. 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 the anger of the father and the grief of the mother who conceived him.
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 It is not good to inflict damage on the just, nor to strike the leader who judges uprightly.
It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
27 Whoever moderates his words is learned and prudent. And a man of learning has a precious spirit.
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
28 If he would remain silent, even the foolish would be considered wise, and if he closes his lips, intelligent.
Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
