Proverbs 17
1 Better a dry morsel, and peace therewith, than a house full of contentious sacrifices.
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices 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 shall have rule over a son that causes shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brothers.
3 Fining-pot for silver, crucible for gold, but, he that trieth hearts, is Yahweh.
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD tries the hearts.
4 Discord, giveth heed to the aggrieving lip, —Falsehood, giveth ear to the destroying tongue.
A wicked doer gives heed to false lips; and a liar gives ear to a naughty tongue.
5 He that mocketh the poor, hath reproached his Maker, He that maketh merry at distress, shall not be held innocent.
Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
6 The crown of old men, consists of children’s children, and the adornment of children, is their fathers.
Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
7 Unseemly in an unworthy man, is the lip of excellence, much more, in one of noble mind, the lip of falsehood.
Excellent speech becomes not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
8 A gift, in the eyes of its owner, is, a stone of beauty, whithersoever it turneth, it bringeth prosperity.
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that has it: wherever it turns, it prospers.
9 He that hideth a transgression, seeketh love, but, he that repeateth a matter, separateth intimate friends.
He that covers a transgression seeks love; but he that repeats a matter separates very friends.
10 A reproof sinketh more deeply into an intelligent man than a hundred stripes, into a dullard!
A reproof enters more into a wise man than an hundred stripes 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: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 Let a bereaved bear encounter man, rather than a dullard, with his folly!
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
13 He that returneth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 A letting forth of water, is the beginning of strife, therefore, before it breaketh out, abandon, contention.
The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
15 He that justifieth the lawless, and he that condemneth the righteous, an abomination to Yahweh, are they, both.
He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even they both are abomination 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 is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he has no heart to it?
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 void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes surety in the presence of his friend.
19 A lover of transgression, is one who loveth strife, he that heighteneth his door, seeketh grievous harm.
He loves transgression that loves strife: and he that exalts his gate seeks destruction.
20 The crooked in heart, shall not find good, and, he that is perverse with his tongue, shall fall into wickedness.
He that has a fraudulent heart finds no good: and he that has a perverse tongue falls into mischief.
21 He that begetteth a dullard, it is to his own grief, neither can the father of the base, rejoice.
He that begets a fool does it to his sorrow: and 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 merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries 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 gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
24 Before the face of the discerning, is wisdom, but, the eyes of a dullard, are in the ends 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 vexation to his father, is the son that is a dullard, and a bitterness, to her that bare him.
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
26 Surely, to chastise the righteous, is not good, to smite the noble-minded for equity.
Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
27 Sparing of his words, is one who valueth knowledge, and, of a thoughtful spirit, is a man of intelligence.
He that has knowledge spares his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
28 Even a fool, holding his peace, is accounted, wise, —He that closeth his lips, [is thought] to have understanding.
Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
