Proverbs 17
1 Better to eat a dry scrap in peace than to feast in a house full of people arguing.
| טוֹב פַּת חֲרֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־בָהּ מִבַּיִת מָלֵא זִבְחֵי־רִֽיב׃ |
2 A servant who acts wisely will be put in charge of a disgraced son, and will share the family inheritance with the brothers.
| עֶֽבֶד־מַשְׂכִּיל יִמְשֹׁל בְּבֵן מֵבִישׁ וּבְתוֹךְ אַחִים יַחֲלֹק נַחֲלָֽה׃ |
3 A crucible tests silver, and a furnace tests gold, but the Lord tests the attitude of mind.
| מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף וְכוּר לַזָּהָב וּבֹחֵן לִבּוֹת יְהֹוָֽה׃ |
4 Evil people listen to spiteful talk, and liars pay attention to malicious words.
| מֵרַע מַקְשִׁיב עַל־שְׂפַת־אָוֶן שֶׁקֶר מֵזִין עַל־לְשׁוֹן הַוֺּֽת׃ |
5 Anyone who oppresses the poor insults their Maker, and anyone who enjoys the suffering of others will be punished.
| לֹעֵג לָרָשׁ חֵרֵף עֹשֵׂהוּ שָׂמֵחַ לְאֵיד לֹא יִנָּקֶֽה׃ |
6 Old people are proud of their grandchildren, and children are proud of their parents.
| עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים בְּנֵי בָנִים וְתִפְאֶרֶת בָּנִים אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ |
7 Fine words don't suit stupid people, how much less are lies suited to a ruler.
| לֹא־נָאוָה לְנָבָל שְׂפַת־יֶתֶר אַף כִּֽי־לְנָדִיב שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר׃ |
8 Whoever gives a bribe thinks it's a magical stone—that wherever they turn they'll have success!
| אֶבֶן־חֵן הַשֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵי בְעָלָיו אֶֽל־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר יִפְנֶה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃ |
9 If you forgive a wrong you encourage friendship, but if you keep talking about it you'll lose your friend.
| מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּשַׁע מְבַקֵּשׁ אַהֲבָה וְשֹׁנֶה בְדָבָר מַפְרִיד אַלּֽוּף׃ |
10 A reprimand hits a thinking person more than one hundred blows hit someone stupid.
| תֵּחַת גְּעָרָה בְמֵבִין מֵהַכּוֹת כְּסִיל מֵאָֽה׃ |
11 Evil people are only looking to rebel, so a cruel messenger will be sent to attack them.
| אַךְ־מְרִי יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָע וּמַלְאָךְ אַכְזָרִי יְשֻׁלַּח־בּֽוֹ׃ |
12 Better to meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs than a stupid person and their foolishness.
| פָּגוֹשׁ דֹּב שַׁכּוּל בְּאִישׁ וְאַל־כְּסִיל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ |
13 If you repay evil for good, evil will never leave your house.
| מֵשִׁיב רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה לֹא־[תָמוּשׁ] (תמיש) רָעָה מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃ |
14 The beginning of a quarrel is like the first leak in a water dam, so drop it before a major argument bursts out.
| פּוֹטֵֽר מַיִם רֵאשִׁית מָדוֹן וְלִפְנֵי הִתְגַּלַּע הָרִיב נְטֽוֹשׁ׃ |
15 The Lord hates it when the wicked are acquitted and the innocent condemned.
| מַצְדִּיק רָשָׁע וּמַרְשִׁיעַ צַדִּיק תּוֹעֲבַת יְהֹוָה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ |
16 Is there any point in stupid people trying to buy wisdom when they don't want to learn?
| לָמָּה־זֶּה מְחִיר בְּיַד־כְּסִיל לִקְנוֹת חׇכְמָה וְלֶב־אָֽיִן׃ |
17 A true friend is always there to love you, and family provides help when troubles come.
| בְּכׇל־עֵת אֹהֵב הָרֵעַ וְאָח לְצָרָה יִוָּלֵֽד׃ |
18 It's not a wise idea to make a pledge and guarantee a neighbor's debt.
| אָדָם חֲסַר־לֵב תּוֹקֵעַ כָּף עֹרֵב עֲרֻבָּה לִפְנֵי רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ |
19 People who love sin like to argue; those who build high gates invite destruction.
| אֹהֵֽב פֶּשַׁע אֹהֵב מַצָּה מַגְבִּיהַּ פִּתְחוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃ |
20 People with warped minds don't succeed; those who tell lies get into trouble.
| עִקֶּשׁ־לֵב לֹא יִמְצָא־טוֹב וְנֶהְפָּךְ בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃ |
21 A stupid son brings grief to his father; the father of a child who does stupid things has no joy.
| יֹלֵד כְּסִיל לְתוּגָה לוֹ וְלֹא־יִשְׂמַח אֲבִי נָבָֽל׃ |
22 A cheerful attitude is like good medicine, but discouragement makes you sick.
| לֵב שָׂמֵחַ יֵיטִיב גֵּהָה וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃ |
23 The wicked take hidden bribes to pervert the course of justice.
| שֹׁחַד מֵחֵק רָשָׁע יִקָּח לְהַטּוֹת אׇרְחוֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ |
24 Sensible people focus on wisdom, but the eyes of stupid people are always wandering.
| אֶת־פְּנֵי מֵבִין חׇכְמָה וְעֵינֵי כְסִיל בִּקְצֵה־אָֽרֶץ׃ |
25 A stupid son brings grief to his father and sadness to his mother who gave birth to him.
| כַּעַס לְאָבִיו בֵּן כְּסִיל וּמֶמֶר לְיֽוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃ |
26 It's not right to impose a fine on someone who's innocent or to flog good leaders for their honesty.
| גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק לֹא־טוֹב לְהַכּוֹת נְדִיבִים עַל־יֹֽשֶׁר׃ |
27 If you're wise, you'll be careful what you say; and if you're sensible, you'll keep your temper.
| חוֹשֵׂךְ אֲמָרָיו יוֹדֵעַ דָּעַת (וקר) [יְקַר־]רוּחַ אִישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃ |
28 Even stupid people who keep quiet are considered wise; if they don't say anything they appear intelligent.
| גַּם אֱוִיל מַחֲרִישׁ חָכָם יֵחָשֵׁב אֹטֵם שְׂפָתָיו נָבֽוֹן׃ |
