Proverbs 17
1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causes shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brothers.
A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.
3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD tries the hearts.
A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] Jehovah.
4 A wicked doer gives heed to false lips; and a liar gives ear to a naughty tongue.
An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
6 Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
Sons' sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
7 Excellent speech becomes not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a 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 stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9 He that covers a transgression seeks love; but he that repeats a matter separates very friends.
Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
10 A reproof enters more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And — not a fool in his folly.
13 Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.
15 He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he has no heart to it?
Why [is] this — a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.
18 A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes surety in the presence of his friend.
A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.
19 He loves transgression that loves strife: and he that exalts his gate seeks destruction.
Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.
20 He that has a fraudulent heart finds no good: and he that has a perverse tongue falls into mischief.
The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.
21 He that begets a fool does it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool has no joy.
Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.
22 A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.
A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.
23 A wicked man takes a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
24 Wisdom is before him that has understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool — at the end of the earth.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
A provocation to his father [is] a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.
26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.
27 He that has knowledge spares his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
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 keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!
