Proverbiorum 17
1 Melior est buccella sicca cum gaudio quam domus plena victimis cum jurgio.
It is better to have quiet with a dry morsel of bread than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 Servus sapiens dominabitur filiis stultis, et inter fratres hæreditatem dividet.
A wise servant will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 Sicut igne probatur argentum et aurum camino, ita corda probat Dominus.
The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but Yahweh refines hearts.
4 Malus obedit linguæ iniquæ, et fallax obtemperat labiis mendacibus.
The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Qui despicit pauperem exprobrat factori ejus, et qui ruina lætatur alterius non erit impunitus.
Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.
6 Corona senum filii filiorum, et gloria filiorum patres eorum.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and parents bring honor to their children.
7 Non decent stultum verba composita, nec principem labium mentiens.
Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool; much less are lying lips suitable for royalty.
8 Gemma gratissima exspectatio præstolantis; quocumque se vertit, prudenter intelligit.
A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Qui celat delictum quærit amicitias; qui altero sermone repetit, separat fœderatos.
Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love, but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.
10 Plus proficit correptio apud prudentem, quam centum plagæ apud stultum.
A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding than a hundred blows go into a fool.
11 Semper jurgia quærit malus: angelus autem crudelis mittetur contra eum.
An evil person only seeks rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Expedit magis ursæ occurrere raptis fœtibus, quam fatuo confidenti in stultitia sua.
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his foolishness.
13 Qui reddit mala pro bonis, non recedet malum de domo ejus.
When someone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 Qui dimittit aquam caput est jurgiorum, et antequam patiatur contumeliam judicium deserit.
The beginning of conflict is like one who releases water everywhere, so walk away from the dispute before it has broken out.
15 Qui justificat impium, et qui condemnat justum, abominabilis est uterque apud Deum.
The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person— both are an abomination to Yahweh.
16 Quid prodest stulto habere divitias, cum sapientiam emere non possit? Qui altum facit domum suam quærit ruinam, et qui evitat discere incidet in mala.
Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom, when he has no ability to learn it?
17 Omni tempore diligit qui amicus est, et frater in angustiis comprobatur.
A friend is loving at all times and a brother is born for times of trouble.
18 Stultus homo plaudet manibus, cum spoponderit pro amico suo.
A man having no sense makes binding promises and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.
19 Qui meditatur discordias diligit rixas, et qui exaltat ostium quærit ruinam.
Whoever loves conflict loves sin; the one who makes the threshold of his door too high causes bones to be broken.
20 Qui perversi cordis est non inveniet bonum, et qui vertit linguam incidet in malum.
A person who has a crooked heart finds nothing that is good; the one who has a perverse tongue falls into calamity.
21 Natus est stultus in ignominiam suam; sed nec pater in fatuo lætabitur.
Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself; and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 Animus gaudens ætatem floridam facit; spiritus tristis exsiccat ossa.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 Munera de sinu impius accipit, ut pervertat semitas judicii.
A wicked man accepts a secret bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
24 In facie prudentis lucet sapientia; oculi stultorum in finibus terræ.
The one who has understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are set on the ends of the earth.
25 Ira patris filius stultus, et dolor matris quæ genuit eum.
A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to the woman who bore him.
26 Non est bonum damnum inferre justo, nec percutere principem qui recta judicat.
Also, it is never good to punish the righteous person; neither is it good to flog noble men who have integrity.
27 Qui moderatur sermones suos doctus et prudens est, et pretiosi spiritus vir eruditus.
One who has knowledge uses few words and one with understanding is even-tempered.
28 Stultus quoque, si tacuerit, sapiens reputabitur, et si compresserit labia sua, intelligens.
Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent; when he keeps his mouth shut, he is considered to be intelligent.
