Proverbs 17
1 It is better to have quiet with a dry morsel of bread than a house full of feasting with strife.
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of flesh-banquets 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 prudent servant shall rule over a son who causeth shame; Yea, with brothers he shall share the inheritance.
3 The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but Yahweh refines hearts.
The refining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But the LORD trieth hearts.
4 The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
An evil-doer listeneth to mischievous lips; And a liar giveth ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.
Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; He that is glad at calamities shall not go unpunished.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and parents bring honor to their children.
Children's children are the crown of the aged, And their fathers the glory of sons.
7 Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool; much less are lying lips suitable for royalty.
Excellent speech becometh not the base; How much less lying lips the noble!
8 A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of him who taketh it; Whithersoever it turneth it hath success.
9 Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love, but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.
He who covereth an offence seeketh love; But he who recurreth to a matter removeth a friend.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding than a hundred blows go into a fool.
A reproof will penetrate deeper into a wise man Than a hundred stripes into a fool.
11 An evil person only seeks rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
An evil man seeketh only rebellion; Therefore shall a cruel messenger be sent against him.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his foolishness.
Let a man meet a bear robbed of her whelps, Rather than a fool in his folly.
13 When someone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
Whoso returneth evil for good, Evil shall not depart from 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.
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; Therefore leave off contention before it rolleth onward.
15 The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person— both are an abomination to Yahweh.
He that justifieth the wicked, And he that condemneth the just, Both alike are an abomination to the LORD.
16 Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom, when he has no ability to learn it?
Why should a price be in the hand of a fool To get wisdom, seeing he hath no sense?
17 A friend is loving at all times and a brother is born for times of trouble.
A friend loveth at all times; But in adversity he is born a brother.
18 A man having no sense makes binding promises and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.
A man who lacketh understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
19 Whoever loves conflict loves sin; the one who makes the threshold of his door too high causes bones to be broken.
He who loveth strife loveth transgression; He who raiseth high his gate seeketh ruin.
20 A person who has a crooked heart finds nothing that is good; the one who has a perverse tongue falls into calamity.
He that is of a deceitful heart shall find no good; And he that turneth about with his tongue shall fall into mischief.
21 Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself; and the father of a fool has no joy.
Whoso begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; Yea, the father of the fool hath no joy.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
A merry heart doeth good to the body; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
23 A wicked man accepts a secret bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
The wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of judgment.
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 before the face of him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in 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 is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bore him.
26 Also, it is never good to punish the righteous person; neither is it good to flog noble men who have integrity.
Moreover, to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to smite the noble for their equity.
27 One who has knowledge uses few words and one with understanding is even-tempered.
He that spareth his words is imbued with knowledge; And he that is of a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
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, when he is silent, is accounted wise; He that shutteth his lips is a man of understanding.
