Proverbs 17
1 Better to eat a dry scrap in peace than to feast in a house full of people arguing.
It is better [to eat] a dry piece [of bread] and not have strife/quarrels than to have a big feast in a house where [everyone] is quarreling.
2 A servant who acts wisely will be put in charge of a disgraced son, and will share the family inheritance with the brothers.
A slave who acts wisely will [some day] be the boss of his master’s disgraceful son and when his master dies, the slave will receive part of his master’s possessions.
3 A crucible tests silver, and a furnace tests gold, but the Lord tests the attitude of mind.
[Workers put] silver and gold in a very hot furnace [to burn out what is impure], and Yahweh [similarly] examines people’s inner beings [to see if they are pure].
4 Evil people listen to spiteful talk, and liars pay attention to malicious words.
Those who do what is evil pay attention to people who say [MTY] what is evil, and liars pay attention to [other people’s] lies.
5 Anyone who oppresses the poor insults their Maker, and anyone who enjoys the suffering of others will be punished.
Those who make fun of poor [people] insult God, the one who made the poor [people], [and] those who are happy when [someone else has] troubles will certainly be punished [LIT] [by God].
6 Old people are proud of their grandchildren, and children are proud of their parents.
Old [people] are [usually] proud of [MET] their grandchildren, [just like] children are [usually] proud of their parents.
7 Fine words don't suit stupid people, how much less are lies suited to a ruler.
Fine/Eloquent speech is not suitable for foolish people to say, just like lies are not suitable for rulers [to say].
8 Whoever gives a bribe thinks it's a magical stone—that wherever they turn they'll have success!
People think that a bribe is like a magic stone [to persuade someone to do what they want him to do]; they think that because of the bribe, that person will do whatever they want him to do.
9 If you forgive a wrong you encourage friendship, but if you keep talking about it you'll lose your friend.
If you want people to like/love you, forgive them for the wrong things that they do to you. If you continue to remind them about those wrong things, they will no longer be your friends.
10 A reprimand hits a thinking person more than one hundred blows hit someone stupid.
Rebuking people who have good sense will accomplish more for them than hitting them 100 times [with a stick].
11 Evil people are only looking to rebel, so a cruel messenger will be sent to attack them.
[Because] wicked people are always trying to cause trouble, someone will be sent to severely punish them.
12 Better to meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs than a stupid person and their foolishness.
A mother bear whose cubs have been taken away from her is dangerous, but it is more dangerous to confront a foolish person who is doing something foolish.
13 If you repay evil for good, evil will never leave your house.
If someone does something evil in return for something good being done to him, evil/trouble will never leave that person’s family.
14 The beginning of a quarrel is like the first leak in a water dam, so drop it before a major argument bursts out.
Starting a quarrel is like allowing water to start to leak out of a dam; they both need to be stopped before they get worse.
15 The Lord hates it when the wicked are acquitted and the innocent condemned.
There are two things that Yahweh hates: (Condemning innocent [people]/Saying that people who have done nothing wrong must be punished), and declaring that people who have done wicked things should not be punished.
16 Is there any point in stupid people trying to buy wisdom when they don't want to learn?
It is useless to allow foolish people [RHQ] to try to become wise by paying for it, because they do not have enough good sense to become wise.
17 A true friend is always there to love you, and family provides help when troubles come.
Friends love [others] all the time, and relatives are able to help us when we have troubles.
18 It's not a wise idea to make a pledge and guarantee a neighbor's debt.
[If someone borrows money from another person], it is foolish for you to promise [IDM] that you will pay the money back if that other person is unable to pay back the money that he borrowed.
19 People who love sin like to argue; those who build high gates invite destruction.
Those who like to sin [also] like to cause strife/trouble; [and] those who build fancy doors in their houses [to show that they are very wealthy] (OR, speak proudly) are inviting disaster.
20 People with warped minds don't succeed; those who tell lies get into trouble.
Those who (have perverse minds/are always thinking about doing evil things) will not prosper, and disasters will happen to those who always tell lies.
21 A stupid son brings grief to his father; the father of a child who does stupid things has no joy.
Children who are foolish [soon] cause their parents to be very sad; their parents will not be joyful at all.
22 A cheerful attitude is like good medicine, but discouragement makes you sick.
Being cheerful is [like swallowing] good medicine; being discouraged/gloomy [all the time will] (drain away your energy/cause you to become weak) [MTY].
23 The wicked take hidden bribes to pervert the course of justice.
Wicked people/judges accept bribes that are given to them secretly, and as a result they do not decide matters justly/fairly.
24 Sensible people focus on wisdom, but the eyes of stupid people are always wandering.
Those who have good sense determine to do what is wise, but foolish people are always thinking about many different things [and never decide what they should do].
25 A stupid son brings grief to his father and sadness to his mother who gave birth to him.
Children who are foolish cause their father to be sad and [also] cause their mother to be very sorrowful.
26 It's not right to impose a fine on someone who's innocent or to flog good leaders for their honesty.
It is not right to force someone who has done nothing wrong to pay a fine; it is wrong to punish good/respected people.
27 If you're wise, you'll be careful what you say; and if you're sensible, you'll keep your temper.
Those who have good sense do not talk a lot, and those who (control their tempers/keep themselves from becoming very angry) are [truly] wise.
28 Even stupid people who keep quiet are considered wise; if they don't say anything they appear intelligent.
People [may] think that foolish people who do not say anything are wise; if foolish people (do not say anything/keep their mouths shut), others will think that they are [very] intelligent.
