Proverbs 17
1 Better is a dry morsell, if peace be with it, then an house full of sacrifices with strife.
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 discrete seruant shall haue rule ouer a lewde sonne, and hee shall deuide the heritage among the brethren.
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 As is the fining pot for siluer, and the fornace for golde, so the Lord trieth the heartes.
[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 The wicked giueth heed to false lippes, and a lyer hearkeneth to the naughtie tongue.
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 Hee that mocketh the poore, reprocheth him, that made him: and he that reioyceth at destruction, shall not be vnpunished.
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 Childres children are the crowne of the elders: and the glory of ye children are their fathers.
Old [people] are [usually] proud of [MET] their grandchildren, [just like] children are [usually] proud of their parents.
7 Hie talke becommeth not a foole, much lesse a lying talke a prince.
Fine/Eloquent speech is not suitable for foolish people to say, just like lies are not suitable for rulers [to say].
8 A rewarde is as a stone pleasant in the eyes of them that haue it: it prospereth, whithersoeuer it turneth.
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 Hee that couereth a transgression, seeketh loue: but hee that repeateth a matter, separateth the prince.
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 reproofe entereth more into him that hath vnderstanding, then an hundreth stripes into a foole.
Rebuking people who have good sense will accomplish more for them than hitting them 100 times [with a stick].
11 A sedicious person seeketh onely euill, and a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
[Because] wicked people are always trying to cause trouble, someone will be sent to severely punish them.
12 It is better for a man to meete a beare robbed of her whelpes, then a foole in his follie.
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 He that rewardeth euil for good, euil shall not depart from his 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 strife is as one that openeth the waters: therefore or the contention be medled with, leaue off.
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 He that iustifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the iust, euen they both are abomination to the Lord.
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 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of the foole to get wisdome, and he hath none heart?
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 friende loueth at all times: and a brother is borne for aduersitie.
Friends love [others] all the time, and relatives are able to help us when we have troubles.
18 A man destitute of vnderstanding, toucheth the hande, and becommeth suretie for his neighbour.
[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 He loueth transgression, that loueth strife: and he that exalteth his gate, seeketh 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 The froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a naughtie tongue, shall fall into euill.
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 He that begetteth a foole, getteth himselfe sorow, and the father of a foole can haue no ioy.
Children who are foolish [soon] cause their parents to be very sad; their parents will not be joyful at all.
22 A ioyfull heart causeth good health: but a sorowfull minde dryeth the bones.
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 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome to wrest the wayes of iudgement.
Wicked people/judges accept bribes that are given to them secretly, and as a result they do not decide matters justly/fairly.
24 Wisdome is in the face of him that hath vnderstanding: but the eyes of a foole are in the corners of the world.
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 foolish sonne is a griefe vnto his father, and a heauines to her that bare him.
Children who are foolish cause their father to be sad and [also] cause their mother to be very sorrowful.
26 Surely it is not good to condemne the iust, nor that ye princes should smite such for equitie.
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 Hee that hath knowledge, spareth his wordes, and a man of vnderstanding is of an excellent spirit.
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 Euen a foole (when he holdeth his peace) is counted wise, and hee that stoppeth his lips, prudent.
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.
