Proverbs 17
1 Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of flesh-banquets with strife.
2 A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.
A prudent servant shall rule over a son who causeth shame; Yea, with brothers he shall share the inheritance.
3 A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] Jehovah.
The refining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But the LORD trieth hearts.
4 An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
An evil-doer listeneth to mischievous lips; And a liar giveth ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; He that is glad at calamities shall not go unpunished.
6 Sons' sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
Children's children are the crown of the aged, And their fathers the glory of sons.
7 Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.
Excellent speech becometh not the base; How much less lying lips the noble!
8 A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of him who taketh it; Whithersoever it turneth it hath success.
9 Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
He who covereth an offence seeketh love; But he who recurreth to a matter removeth a friend.
10 Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.
A reproof will penetrate deeper into a wise man Than a hundred stripes into a fool.
11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
An evil man seeketh only rebellion; Therefore shall a cruel messenger be sent against him.
12 The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And — not a fool in his folly.
Let a man meet a bear robbed of her whelps, Rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.
Whoso returneth evil for good, Evil shall not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; Therefore leave off contention before it rolleth onward.
15 Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
He that justifieth the wicked, And he that condemneth the just, Both alike are an abomination 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 a price be in the hand of a fool To get wisdom, seeing he hath no sense?
17 At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.
A friend loveth at all times; But in adversity he is born a brother.
18 A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.
A man who lacketh understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
19 Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.
He who loveth strife loveth transgression; He who raiseth high his gate seeketh ruin.
20 The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.
He that is of a deceitful heart shall find no good; And he that turneth about with his tongue shall fall into mischief.
21 Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.
Whoso begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; Yea, the father of the fool hath no joy.
22 A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.
A merry heart doeth good to the body; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
23 A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
The wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of judgment.
24 The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool — at the end 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 provocation to his father [is] a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.
A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bore him.
26 Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.
Moreover, to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to smite the noble for their equity.
27 One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
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 keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!
Even a fool, when he is silent, is accounted wise; He that shutteth his lips is a man of understanding.
