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 morsel, and quietness therewith, than 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 wise servant shall have rule over a son that causes shame, and shall have part of the inheritance 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].
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD tries the 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 wicked doer gives heed to false lips; and a liar gives ear to a naughty 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].
Whoso mocks the poor reproaches his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
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 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].
Excellent speech becomes not a fool: much less do lying lips 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 gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that has it: anywhere it turns, it prospers.
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 that covers a transgression seeks love; but he that repeats a matter separates very friends.
10 Rebuking people who have good sense will accomplish more for them than hitting them 100 times [with a stick].
A reproof enters more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
11 [Because] wicked people are always trying to cause trouble, someone will be sent to severely punish them.
An evil man seeks only rebellion: therefore 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.
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If someone does something evil in return for something good being done to him, evil/trouble will never leave that person’s family.
Whoso rewards evil for good, evil 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 when one lets out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
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 justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even 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 a fool to get wisdom, seeing he has no heart to it?
17 Friends love [others] all the time, and relatives are able to help us when we have troubles.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
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 void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes guarantor in the presence of his friend.
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 loves transgression that loves strife: and he that exalts his gate seeks 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.
He that has a perverse heart finds no good: and he that has a perverse tongue falls into mischief.
21 Children who are foolish [soon] cause their parents to be very sad; their parents will not be joyful at all.
He that bring forths a fool does it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool 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 merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries 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 takes a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
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 him that has understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in 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 bitterness 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.
Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
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 that has knowledge spares his words: and a man of understanding 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.
Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
