< Proverbs 17 >

1 Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife.
טוֹב פַּת חֲרֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־בָהּ מִבַּיִת מָלֵא זִבְחֵי־רִֽיב׃
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.
עֶֽבֶד־מַשְׂכִּיל יִמְשֹׁל בְּבֵן מֵבִישׁ וּבְתוֹךְ אַחִים יַחֲלֹק נַחֲלָֽה׃
3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the hearts.
מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף וְכוּר לַזָּהָב וּבֹחֵן לִבּוֹת יְהֹוָֽה׃
4 An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
מֵרַע מַקְשִׁיב עַל־שְׂפַת־אָוֶן שֶׁקֶר מֵזִין עַל־לְשׁוֹן הַוֺּֽת׃
5 Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
לֹעֵג לָרָשׁ חֵרֵף עֹשֵׂהוּ שָׂמֵחַ לְאֵיד לֹא יִנָּקֶֽה׃
6 Children's children are the crown of old men; the glory of children are their parents.
עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים בְּנֵי בָנִים וְתִפְאֶרֶת בָּנִים אֲבוֹתָֽם׃
7 Arrogant speech isn't fitting for a fool, much less do lying lips fit a prince.
לֹא־נָאוָה לְנָבָל שְׂפַת־יֶתֶר אַף כִּֽי־לְנָדִיב שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר׃
8 A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.
אֶבֶן־חֵן הַשֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵי בְעָלָיו אֶֽל־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר יִפְנֶה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃
9 He who covers an offense promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.
מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּשַׁע מְבַקֵּשׁ אַהֲבָה וְשֹׁנֶה בְדָבָר מַפְרִיד אַלּֽוּף׃
10 A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding than a hundred lashes into a fool.
תֵּחַת גְּעָרָה בְמֵבִין מֵהַכּוֹת כְּסִיל מֵאָֽה׃
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
אַךְ־מְרִי יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָע וּמַלְאָךְ אַכְזָרִי יְשֻׁלַּח־בּֽוֹ׃
12 Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
פָּגוֹשׁ דֹּב שַׁכּוּל בְּאִישׁ וְאַל־כְּסִיל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
13 Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
מֵשִׁיב רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה לֹא־[תָמוּשׁ] (תמיש) רָעָה מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃
14 The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.
פּוֹטֵֽר מַיִם רֵאשִׁית מָדוֹן וְלִפְנֵי הִתְגַּלַּע הָרִיב נְטֽוֹשׁ׃
15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
מַצְדִּיק רָשָׁע וּמַרְשִׁיעַ צַדִּיק תּוֹעֲבַת יְהֹוָה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
16 Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, seeing he has no understanding?
לָמָּה־זֶּה מְחִיר בְּיַד־כְּסִיל לִקְנוֹת חׇכְמָה וְלֶב־אָֽיִן׃
17 A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
בְּכׇל־עֵת אֹהֵב הָרֵעַ וְאָח לְצָרָה יִוָּלֵֽד׃
18 A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.
אָדָם חֲסַר־לֵב תּוֹקֵעַ כָּף עֹרֵב עֲרֻבָּה לִפְנֵי רֵעֵֽהוּ׃
19 He who loves disobedience loves strife. One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.
אֹהֵֽב פֶּשַׁע אֹהֵב מַצָּה מַגְבִּיהַּ פִּתְחוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃
20 One who has a perverse heart doesn't find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.
עִקֶּשׁ־לֵב לֹא יִמְצָא־טוֹב וְנֶהְפָּךְ בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃
21 He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.
יֹלֵד כְּסִיל לְתוּגָה לוֹ וְלֹא־יִשְׂמַח אֲבִי נָבָֽל׃
22 A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
לֵב שָׂמֵחַ יֵיטִיב גֵּהָה וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃
23 A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.
שֹׁחַד מֵחֵק רָשָׁע יִקָּח לְהַטּוֹת אׇרְחוֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
24 Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander everywhere.
אֶת־פְּנֵי מֵבִין חׇכְמָה וְעֵינֵי כְסִיל בִּקְצֵה־אָֽרֶץ׃
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.
כַּעַס לְאָבִיו בֵּן כְּסִיל וּמֶמֶר לְיֽוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃
26 Also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.
גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק לֹא־טוֹב לְהַכּוֹת נְדִיבִים עַל־יֹֽשֶׁר׃
27 He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.
חוֹשֵׂךְ אֲמָרָיו יוֹדֵעַ דָּעַת (וקר) [יְקַר־]רוּחַ אִישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃
28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.
גַּם אֱוִיל מַחֲרִישׁ חָכָם יֵחָשֵׁב אֹטֵם שְׂפָתָיו נָבֽוֹן׃

< Proverbs 17 >