Proverbs 17
1 Better a dry morsel, and peace therewith, than a house full of contentious sacrifices.
Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A prudent servant, shall rule over a son who causeth shame, and, in the midst of brothers, shall he share the inheritance.
A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 Fining-pot for silver, crucible for gold, but, he that trieth hearts, is Yahweh.
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
4 Discord, giveth heed to the aggrieving lip, —Falsehood, giveth ear to the destroying tongue.
A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 He that mocketh the poor, hath reproached his Maker, He that maketh merry at distress, shall not be held innocent.
He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
6 The crown of old men, consists of children’s children, and the adornment of children, is their fathers.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
7 Unseemly in an unworthy man, is the lip of excellence, much more, in one of noble mind, the lip of falsehood.
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
8 A gift, in the eyes of its owner, is, a stone of beauty, whithersoever it turneth, it bringeth prosperity.
A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 He that hideth a transgression, seeketh love, but, he that repeateth a matter, separateth intimate friends.
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
10 A reproof sinketh more deeply into an intelligent man than a hundred stripes, into a dullard!
A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
11 Nothing less than rebellion, doth a wicked man seek, and, a relentless messenger, shall be sent out against him.
An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a bereaved bear encounter man, rather than a dullard, with his folly!
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
13 He that returneth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 A letting forth of water, is the beginning of strife, therefore, before it breaketh out, abandon, contention.
To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
15 He that justifieth the lawless, and he that condemneth the righteous, an abomination to Yahweh, are they, both.
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a dullard? that he who is without sense, may acquire wisdom.
Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
17 At all times, doth a friend love, and, a brother for distress, must be born.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man lacking sense, is one who striketh hands, giving security, before his neighbour.
A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
19 A lover of transgression, is one who loveth strife, he that heighteneth his door, seeketh grievous harm.
He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
20 The crooked in heart, shall not find good, and, he that is perverse with his tongue, shall fall into wickedness.
The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21 He that begetteth a dullard, it is to his own grief, neither can the father of the base, rejoice.
A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A joyful heart, worketh an excellent cure, —but, a stricken spirit, drieth up the bone.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 A bribe out of his bosom, doth a lawless man take, to pervert the ways of justice.
A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
24 Before the face of the discerning, is wisdom, but, the eyes of a dullard, are in the ends of the earth.
Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A vexation to his father, is the son that is a dullard, and a bitterness, to her that bare him.
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Surely, to chastise the righteous, is not good, to smite the noble-minded for equity.
It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
27 Sparing of his words, is one who valueth knowledge, and, of a thoughtful spirit, is a man of intelligence.
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
28 Even a fool, holding his peace, is accounted, wise, —He that closeth his lips, [is thought] to have understanding.
Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
