Proverbs 17
1 Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
Better is a piece of dry bread, and quiet therewith, than a house full of the sacrifices of contention.
2 A wise servant rules over a son causing shame, And he apportions an inheritance in the midst of brothers.
An intelligent servant will have rule over a son that bringeth shame, and among the brothers will he have part of the inheritance.
3 A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] YHWH.
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but the Lord probeth the hearts.
4 An evildoer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
An evil-doer listeneth to unjust lips: falsehood giveth ear to a tongue that bringeth destruction.
5 Whoever is mocking at the poor Has reproached his Maker, Whoever is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker: he that is glad at calamities will not remain unpunished.
6 Sons’ sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
The crown of old men are children's children; and the ornament 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.
High-toned language is not seemly to a worthless fool: and yet much less the language of falsehood to a noble.
8 A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Wherever it turns, it prospers.
As a precious stone appeareth a bribe in the eyes of him that obtaineth it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9 Whoever is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoever is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth confident friends.
10 Rebuke comes down on the intelligent More than one hundred stripes on a fool.
A reproof penetrateth more deeply into a wise man, than a hundred stripes into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
Only rebellion doth a bad man seek: therefore a cruel messenger will be sent out against him.
12 The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And—not a fool in his folly.
A man may meet a she-bear robbed of her whelps, but not a fool in his folly.
13 Whoever is returning evil for good, Evil does not move from his house.
Whoso bestoweth evil in return 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.
As one letteth loose [a stream] of water, so is the beginning of strife: therefore before it be enkindled, leave off the contest.
15 Whoever is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to YHWH.
He that declareth the wicked innocent, and he that condemneth the righteous, yea, both of them are equally an 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?
Wherefore is the purchase-money in the hand of a fool to acquire wisdom, seeing he hath no sense?
17 The friend is loving at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
A friend loveth at all times, and as a brother is he born for [the time of] distress.
18 A man lacking heart is striking hands, He becomes a guarantor before his friend.
A man void of sense pledgeth his hand, and becometh surety for his friend.
19 Whoever is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoever is making his entrance high is seeking destruction.
He loveth transgression that loveth quarrel; and he that maketh high his door seeketh destruction.
20 The perverse of heart does not find good, And the [one] turned in his tongue falls into evil.
He that hath a froward heart will not find happiness; and he that hath a perverse tongue will fall into evil.
21 Whoever is begetting a fool has affliction for it, Indeed, the father of a fool does not rejoice.
He that begetteth a fool [doth it] to his sorrow; and the father of a worthless fool cannot have any joy.
22 A rejoicing heart does good to the body, And a struck spirit dries the bone.
A merry heart causeth a healthy appearance of the countenance, but a depressed spirit drieth up the bones.
23 The wicked takes a bribe from the bosom, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
A wicked man taketh a bribe out of the bosom, to pervert the paths of justice.
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 hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are at 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 vexation to his father, and bitterness to her that hath born him.
26 Also, [it] is not good to fine the righteous, To strike nobles for uprightness.
To punish the just with a fine even is not good, nor to strike the noble [-hearted] for [their] equity.
27 One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
He that holdeth back his speeches hath knowledge; and he that is sparing of his spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips [seems] intelligent!
Even a fool, when he keepeth silence, is counted wise: he that shutteth his lips [is esteemed] a man of understanding.
