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 is a dry morsell, if peace be with it, then an house full of sacrifices with strife.
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 discrete seruant shall haue rule ouer a lewde sonne, and hee shall deuide the heritage among the brethren.
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].
As is the fining pot for siluer, and the fornace for golde, so the Lord trieth the heartes.
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.
The wicked giueth heed to false lippes, and a lyer hearkeneth to the naughtie 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].
Hee that mocketh the poore, reprocheth him, that made him: and he that reioyceth at destruction, shall not be vnpunished.
6 Old [people] are [usually] proud of [MET] their grandchildren, [just like] children are [usually] proud of their parents.
Childres children are the crowne of the elders: and the glory of ye children are their fathers.
7 Fine/Eloquent speech is not suitable for foolish people to say, just like lies are not suitable for rulers [to say].
Hie talke becommeth not a foole, much lesse a lying talke a prince.
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.
A rewarde is as a stone pleasant in the eyes of them that haue it: it prospereth, whithersoeuer it turneth.
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.
Hee that couereth a transgression, seeketh loue: but hee that repeateth a matter, separateth the prince.
10 Rebuking people who have good sense will accomplish more for them than hitting them 100 times [with a stick].
A reproofe entereth more into him that hath vnderstanding, then an hundreth stripes into a foole.
11 [Because] wicked people are always trying to cause trouble, someone will be sent to severely punish them.
A sedicious person seeketh onely euill, and a cruel messenger shall 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 for a man to meete a beare robbed of her whelpes, then a foole in his follie.
13 If someone does something evil in return for something good being done to him, evil/trouble will never leave that person’s family.
He that rewardeth euil for good, euil shall not depart 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 beginning of strife is as one that openeth the waters: therefore or the contention be medled with, leaue off.
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 that iustifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the iust, euen they both are abomination 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.
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of the foole to get wisdome, and he hath none heart?
17 Friends love [others] all the time, and relatives are able to help us when we have troubles.
A friende loueth at all times: and a brother is borne for aduersitie.
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 destitute of vnderstanding, toucheth the hande, and becommeth suretie for 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.
He loueth transgression, that loueth strife: and he that exalteth his gate, seeketh 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.
The froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a naughtie tongue, shall fall into euill.
21 Children who are foolish [soon] cause their parents to be very sad; their parents will not be joyful at all.
He that begetteth a foole, getteth himselfe sorow, and the father of a foole can haue no ioy.
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 ioyfull heart causeth good health: but a sorowfull minde dryeth the bones.
23 Wicked people/judges accept bribes that are given to them secretly, and as a result they do not decide matters justly/fairly.
A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome to wrest the wayes of iudgement.
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].
Wisdome is in the face of him that hath vnderstanding: but the eyes of a foole are in the corners of the world.
25 Children who are foolish cause their father to be sad and [also] cause their mother to be very sorrowful.
A foolish sonne is a griefe vnto his father, and a heauines to her that bare him.
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.
Surely it is not good to condemne the iust, nor that ye princes should smite such for equitie.
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.
Hee that hath knowledge, spareth his wordes, and a man of vnderstanding is of an excellent spirit.
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.
Euen a foole (when he holdeth his peace) is counted wise, and hee that stoppeth his lips, prudent.
