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