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 with it, 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 causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
3 A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] YHWH.
The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.
4 An evildoer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever is mocking at the poor Has reproached his Maker, Whoever is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
He that mocketh the poor reproacheth 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 is their fathers.
7 A lip of excellence is not fitting for a fool, much less a lip of falsehood for a noble.
Excellent speech becometh 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 bribe is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: wherever 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 very friends.
10 Rebuke comes down on the intelligent More than one hundred stripes on a fool.
A reproof entereth 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 seeketh 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 rewardeth 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 letteth out water: therefore withdraw from 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 justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth 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 hath no heart to it?
17 The friend is loving at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
A friend loveth 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 striketh hands, and becometh 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 loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate 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 perverse heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
21 Whoever is begetting a fool has affliction for it, Indeed, the father of a fool does not rejoice.
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
22 A rejoicing heart does good to the body, And a struck spirit dries the bone.
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth 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 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 hath 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 hath knowledge spareth 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 holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
