Proverbs 17
1 Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.
A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] Jehovah.
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
4 An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Sons' sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
7 Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
8 A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
10 Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.
A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And — not a fool in his folly.
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.
If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.
To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
15 Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
16 Why [is] this — a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?
Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
17 At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.
A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
19 Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.
He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
20 The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.
The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21 Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.
A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
24 The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool — at the end 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 provocation to his father [is] a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.
It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
27 One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
28 Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!
Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
