Proverbs 17
1 It is better [to eat] a dry piece [of bread] and not have strife/quarrels than to have a big feast in a house where [everyone] is quarreling.
Better a bit of dry bread in peace, than a house full of feasting and violent behaviour.
2 A slave who acts wisely will [some day] be the boss of his master’s disgraceful son and when his master dies, the slave will receive part of his master’s possessions.
A servant who does wisely will have rule over a son causing shame, and will have his part in the heritage among brothers.
3 [Workers put] silver and gold in a very hot furnace [to burn out what is impure], and Yahweh [similarly] examines people’s inner beings [to see if they are pure].
The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.
4 Those who do what is evil pay attention to people who say [MTY] what is evil, and liars pay attention to [other people’s] lies.
A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.
5 Those who make fun of poor [people] insult God, the one who made the poor [people], [and] those who are happy when [someone else has] troubles will certainly be punished [LIT] [by God].
Whoever makes sport of the poor puts shame on his Maker; and he who is glad because of trouble will not go free from punishment.
6 Old [people] are [usually] proud of [MET] their grandchildren, [just like] children are [usually] proud of their parents.
Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine/Eloquent speech is not suitable for foolish people to say, just like lies are not suitable for rulers [to say].
Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.
8 People think that a bribe is like a magic stone [to persuade someone to do what they want him to do]; they think that because of the bribe, that person will do whatever they want him to do.
An offering of money is like a stone of great price in the eyes of him who has it: wherever he goes, he does well.
9 If you want people to like/love you, forgive them for the wrong things that they do to you. If you continue to remind them about those wrong things, they will no longer be your friends.
He who keeps a sin covered is looking for love; but he who keeps on talking of a thing makes division between friends.
10 Rebuking people who have good sense will accomplish more for them than hitting them 100 times [with a stick].
A word of protest goes deeper into one who has sense than a hundred blows into a foolish man.
11 [Because] wicked people are always trying to cause trouble, someone will be sent to severely punish them.
An uncontrolled man is only looking for trouble, so a cruel servant will be sent against him.
12 A mother bear whose cubs have been taken away from her is dangerous, but it is more dangerous to confront a foolish person who is doing something foolish.
It is better to come face to face with a bear whose young ones have been taken away than with a foolish man acting foolishly.
13 If someone does something evil in return for something good being done to him, evil/trouble will never leave that person’s family.
If anyone gives back evil for good, evil will never go away from his house.
14 Starting a quarrel is like allowing water to start to leak out of a dam; they both need to be stopped before they get worse.
The start of fighting is like the letting out of water: so give up before it comes to blows.
15 There are two things that Yahweh hates: (Condemning innocent [people]/Saying that people who have done nothing wrong must be punished), and declaring that people who have done wicked things should not be punished.
He who gives a decision for the evil-doer and he who gives a decision against the upright, are equally disgusting to the Lord.
16 It is useless to allow foolish people [RHQ] to try to become wise by paying for it, because they do not have enough good sense to become wise.
How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?
17 Friends love [others] all the time, and relatives are able to help us when we have troubles.
A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble.
18 [If someone borrows money from another person], it is foolish for you to promise [IDM] that you will pay the money back if that other person is unable to pay back the money that he borrowed.
A man without sense gives his hand in an agreement, and makes himself responsible before his neighbour.
19 Those who like to sin [also] like to cause strife/trouble; [and] those who build fancy doors in their houses [to show that they are very wealthy] (OR, speak proudly) are inviting disaster.
The lover of fighting is a lover of sin: he who makes high his doorway is looking for destruction.
20 Those who (have perverse minds/are always thinking about doing evil things) will not prosper, and disasters will happen to those who always tell lies.
Nothing good comes to him whose heart is fixed on evil purposes: and he who has an evil tongue will come to trouble.
21 Children who are foolish [soon] cause their parents to be very sad; their parents will not be joyful at all.
He who has an unwise son gets sorrow for himself, and the father of a foolish son has no joy.
22 Being cheerful is [like swallowing] good medicine; being discouraged/gloomy [all the time will] (drain away your energy/cause you to become weak) [MTY].
A glad heart makes a healthy body, but a crushed spirit makes the bones dry.
23 Wicked people/judges accept bribes that are given to them secretly, and as a result they do not decide matters justly/fairly.
A sinner takes an offering out of his robe, to get a decision for himself in a cause.
24 Those who have good sense determine to do what is wise, but foolish people are always thinking about many different things [and never decide what they should do].
Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.
25 Children who are foolish cause their father to be sad and [also] cause their mother to be very sorrowful.
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitter pain to her who gave him birth.
26 It is not right to force someone who has done nothing wrong to pay a fine; it is wrong to punish good/respected people.
To give punishment to the upright is not good, or to give blows to the noble for their righteousness.
27 Those who have good sense do not talk a lot, and those who (control their tempers/keep themselves from becoming very angry) are [truly] wise.
He who has knowledge says little: and he who has a calm spirit is a man of good sense.
28 People [may] think that foolish people who do not say anything are wise; if foolish people (do not say anything/keep their mouths shut), others will think that they are [very] intelligent.
Even the foolish man, when he keeps quiet, is taken to be wise: when his lips are shut he is credited with good sense.
