Proverbs 17
1 It is better to have quiet with a dry morsel of bread than a house full of feasting with strife.
Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A wise servant will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but Yahweh refines hearts.
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
4 The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.
He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and parents bring honor to their children.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
7 Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool; much less are lying lips suitable for royalty.
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
8 A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love, but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding than a hundred blows go into a fool.
A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
11 An evil person only seeks rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his foolishness.
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
13 When someone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 The beginning of conflict is like one who releases water everywhere, so walk away from the dispute before it has broken out.
To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
15 The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person— both are an abomination to Yahweh.
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
16 Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom, when he has no ability to learn it?
Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
17 A friend is loving at all times and a brother is born for times of trouble.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man having no sense makes binding promises and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.
A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves conflict loves sin; the one who makes the threshold of his door too high causes bones to be broken.
He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
20 A person who has a crooked heart finds nothing that is good; the one who has a perverse tongue falls into calamity.
The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21 Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself; and the father of a fool has no joy.
A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 A wicked man accepts a secret bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
24 The one who has understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are set on 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 foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to the woman who bore him.
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Also, it is never good to punish the righteous person; neither is it good to flog noble men who have integrity.
It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
27 One who has knowledge uses few words and one with understanding is even-tempered.
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
28 Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent; when he keeps his mouth shut, he is considered to be intelligent.
Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
