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 rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of 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 ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.
3 The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but Yahweh refines hearts.
A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] Jehovah.
4 The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.
Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and parents bring honor to their children.
Sons' sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
7 Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool; much less are lying lips suitable for royalty.
Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.
8 A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9 Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love, but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.
Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding than a hundred blows go into a fool.
Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.
11 An evil person only seeks rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his foolishness.
The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And — not a fool in his folly.
13 When someone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not 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 contention [is] a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.
15 The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person— both are an abomination to Yahweh.
Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
16 Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom, when he has no ability to learn it?
Why [is] this — a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?
17 A friend is loving at all times and a brother is born for times of trouble.
At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.
18 A man having no sense makes binding promises and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.
A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.
19 Whoever loves conflict loves sin; the one who makes the threshold of his door too high causes bones to be broken.
Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking 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 perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.
21 Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself; and the father of a fool has no joy.
Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.
23 A wicked man accepts a secret bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths 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.
The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool — at the end of the earth.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to the woman who bore him.
A provocation to his father [is] a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.
26 Also, it is never good to punish the righteous person; neither is it good to flog noble men who have integrity.
Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.
27 One who has knowledge uses few words and one with understanding is even-tempered.
One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [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 keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!
