Proverbs 17
1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
Better a dry morsel, and peace therewith, than a house full of contentious sacrifices.
2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causes shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brothers.
A prudent servant, shall rule over a son who causeth shame, and, in the midst of brothers, shall he share the inheritance.
3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD tries the hearts.
Fining-pot for silver, crucible for gold, but, he that trieth hearts, is Yahweh.
4 A wicked doer gives heed to false lips; and a liar gives ear to a naughty tongue.
Discord, giveth heed to the aggrieving lip, —Falsehood, giveth ear to the destroying tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
He that mocketh the poor, hath reproached his Maker, He that maketh merry at distress, shall not be held innocent.
6 Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
The crown of old men, consists of children’s children, and the adornment of children, is their fathers.
7 Excellent speech becomes not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
Unseemly in an unworthy man, is the lip of excellence, much more, in one of noble mind, the lip of falsehood.
8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that has it: wherever it turns, it prospers.
A gift, in the eyes of its owner, is, a stone of beauty, whithersoever it turneth, it bringeth prosperity.
9 He that covers a transgression seeks love; but he that repeats a matter separates very friends.
He that hideth a transgression, seeketh love, but, he that repeateth a matter, separateth intimate friends.
10 A reproof enters more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
A reproof sinketh more deeply into an intelligent man than a hundred stripes, into a dullard!
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
Nothing less than rebellion, doth a wicked man seek, and, a relentless messenger, shall be sent out against him.
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
Let a bereaved bear encounter man, rather than a dullard, with his folly!
13 Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
He that returneth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
A letting forth of water, is the beginning of strife, therefore, before it breaketh out, abandon, contention.
15 He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
He that justifieth the lawless, and he that condemneth the righteous, an abomination to Yahweh, are they, both.
16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he has no heart to it?
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a dullard? that he who is without sense, may acquire wisdom.
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
At all times, doth a friend love, and, a brother for distress, must be born.
18 A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes surety in the presence of his friend.
A man lacking sense, is one who striketh hands, giving security, before his neighbour.
19 He loves transgression that loves strife: and he that exalts his gate seeks destruction.
A lover of transgression, is one who loveth strife, he that heighteneth his door, seeketh grievous harm.
20 He that has a fraudulent heart finds no good: and he that has a perverse tongue falls into mischief.
The crooked in heart, shall not find good, and, he that is perverse with his tongue, shall fall into wickedness.
21 He that begets a fool does it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool has no joy.
He that begetteth a dullard, it is to his own grief, neither can the father of the base, rejoice.
22 A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.
A joyful heart, worketh an excellent cure, —but, a stricken spirit, drieth up the bone.
23 A wicked man takes a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
A bribe out of his bosom, doth a lawless man take, to pervert the ways of justice.
24 Wisdom is before him that has understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
Before the face of the discerning, is wisdom, but, the eyes of a dullard, are in the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
A vexation to his father, is the son that is a dullard, and a bitterness, to her that bare him.
26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
Surely, to chastise the righteous, is not good, to smite the noble-minded for equity.
27 He that has knowledge spares his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
Sparing of his words, is one who valueth knowledge, and, of a thoughtful spirit, is a man of intelligence.
28 Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
Even a fool, holding his peace, is accounted, wise, —He that closeth his lips, [is thought] to have understanding.
