< Proverbs 17 >

1 Better [is] a dry morsel, and quietness with it, than a house full of sacrifices [with] strife.
טוֹב פַּת חֲרֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־בָהּ מִבַּיִת מָלֵא זִבְחֵי־רִֽיב׃
2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
עֶֽבֶד־מַשְׂכִּיל יִמְשֹׁל בְּבֵן מֵבִישׁ וּבְתוֹךְ אַחִים יַחֲלֹק נַחֲלָֽה׃
3 The fining-pot [is] for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.
מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף וְכוּר לַזָּהָב וּבֹחֵן לִבּוֹת יְהוָֽה׃
4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips: [and] a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
מֵרַע מַקְשִׁיב עַל־שְׂפַת־אָוֶן שֶׁקֶר מֵזִין עַל־לְשׁוֹן הַוֺּֽת׃
5 He that mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; [and] he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
לֹעֵג לָרָשׁ חֵרֵף עֹשֵׂהוּ שָׂמֵחַ לְאֵיד לֹא יִנָּקֶֽה׃
6 Children's children [are] the crown of old men; and the glory of children [is] their fathers.
עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים בְּנֵי בָנִים וְתִפְאֶרֶת בָּנִים אֲבוֹתָֽם׃
7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
לֹא־נָאוָה לְנָבָל שְׂפַת־יֶתֶר אַף כִּֽי־לְנָדִיב שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר׃
8 A gift [is as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
אֶֽבֶן־חֵן הַשֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵי בְעָלָיו אֶֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יִפְנֶה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃
9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth [very] friends.
מְֽכַסֶּה־פֶּשַׁע מְבַקֵּשׁ אַהֲבָה וְשֹׁנֶה בְדָבָר מַפְרִיד אַלּֽוּף׃
10 A reproof entereth more into a wise man than a hundred stripes into a fool.
תֵּחַת גְּעָרָה בְמֵבִין מֵהַכּוֹת כְּסִיל מֵאָֽה׃
11 An evil [man] seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
אַךְ־מְרִי יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָע וּמַלְאָךְ אַכְזָרִי יְשֻׁלַּח־בּֽוֹ׃
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
פָּגוֹשׁ דֹּב שַׁכּוּל בְּאִישׁ וְאַל־כְּסִיל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
13 Whoever rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
מֵשִׁיב רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה לֹא־תמיש תָמוּשׁ רָעָה מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃
14 The beginning of strife [is as] when one letteth out water: therefore withdraw from contention, before it be meddled with.
פּוֹטֵֽר מַיִם רֵאשִׁית מָדוֹן וְלִפְנֵי הִתְגַּלַּע הָרִיב נְטֽוֹשׁ׃
15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both [are] abomination to the LORD.
מַצְדִּיק רָשָׁע וּמַרְשִׁיעַ צַדִּיק תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
16 Why [is there] a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing [he hath] no heart [to it]?
לָמָּה־זֶּה מְחִיר בְּיַד־כְּסִיל לִקְנוֹת חָכְמָה וְלֶב־אָֽיִן׃
17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
בְּכָל־עֵת אֹהֵב הָרֵעַ וְאָח לְצָרָה יִוָּלֵֽד׃
18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, [and] becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
אָדָם חֲסַר־לֵב תּוֹקֵעַ כָּף עֹרֵב עֲרֻבָּה לִפְנֵי רֵעֵֽהוּ׃
19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: [and] he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
אֹהֵֽב פֶּשַׁע אֹהֵב מַצָּה מַגְבִּיהַּ פִּתְחוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָֽׁבֶר׃
20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
עִקֶּשׁ־לֵב לֹא יִמְצָא־טוֹב וְנֶהְפָּךְ בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃
21 He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
יֹלֵד כְּסִיל לְתוּגָה לוֹ וְלֹֽא־יִשְׂמַח אֲבִי נָבָֽל׃
22 A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
לֵב שָׂמֵחַ יֵיטִב גֵּהָה וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּֽרֶם׃
23 A wicked [man] taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
שֹׁחַד מֵחֵיק רָשָׁע יִקָּח לְהַטּוֹת אָרְחוֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
24 Wisdom [is] before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool [are] in the ends of the earth.
אֶת־פְּנֵי מֵבִין חָכְמָה וְעֵינֵי כְסִיל בִּקְצֵה־אָֽרֶץ׃
25 A foolish son [is] a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
כַּעַס לְאָבִיו בֵּן כְּסִיל וּמֶמֶר לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃
26 Also to punish the just [is] not good, [nor] to strike princes for equity.
גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק לֹא־טוֹב לְהַכּוֹת נְדִיבִים עַל־יֹֽשֶׁר׃
27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: [and] a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
חוֹשֵׂךְ אֲמָרָיו יוֹדֵעַ דָּעַת וקר־יְקַר־רוּחַ אִישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: [and] he that shutteth his lips [is esteemed] a man of understanding.
גַּם אֱוִיל מַחֲרִישׁ חָכָם יֵחָשֵׁב אֹטֵם שְׂפָתָיו נָבֽוֹן׃

< Proverbs 17 >