Proverbiorum 17
1 Melior est buccella sicca cum gaudio, quam domus plena victimis cum iurgio.
Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 Servus sapiens dominabitur filiis stultis, et inter fratres hereditatem dividet.
A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 Sicut igne probatur argentum, et aurum camino: ita corda probat Dominus.
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
4 Malus obedit linguae iniquae: et fallax obtemperat labiis mendacibus.
A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Qui despicit pauperem, exprobrat factori eius: et qui ruina laetatur alterius, non erit impunitus.
He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Corona senum filii filiorum: et gloria filiorum patres eorum.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
7 Non decent stultum verba composita: nec principem labium mentiens.
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
8 Gemma gratissima, expectatio praestolantis: quocumque se vertit, prudenter intelligit.
A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Qui celat delictum, quaerit amicitias: qui altero sermone repetit, separat foederatos.
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
10 Plus proficit correptio apud prudentem, quam centum plagae apud stultum.
A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
11 Semper iurgia quaerit malus: angelus autem crudelis mittetur contra eum.
An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Expedit magis ursae occurrere raptis foetibus, quam fatuo confidenti in stultitia sua.
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
13 Qui reddit mala pro bonis, non recedet malum de domo eius.
If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 Qui dimittit aquam, caput est iurgiorum: et antequam patiatur contumeliam, iudicium deserit.
To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
15 Qui iustificat impium, et qui condemnat iustum, abominabilis est uterque apud Deum.
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
16 Quid prodest stulto habere divitias, cum sapientiam emere non possit? Qui altum facit domum suam, quaerit ruinam: et qui evitat discere, incidet in mala.
Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
17 Omni tempore diligit qui amicus est: et frater in angustiis comprobatur.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 Stultus homo plaudet manibus cum spoponderit pro amico suo.
A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
19 Qui meditatur discordias, diligit rixas: et qui exaltat os suum, quaerit ruinam.
He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
20 Qui perversi cordis est, non inveniet bonum: et qui vertit linguam, incidet in malum.
The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21 Natus est stultus in ignominiam suam: sed nec pater in fatuo laetabitur.
A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
22 Animus gaudens aetatem floridam facit: spiritus tristis exiccat ossa.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 Munera de sinu impius accipit, ut pervertat semitas iudicii.
A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
24 In facie prudentis lucet sapientia: oculi stultorum in finibus terrae.
Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
25 Ira patris, filius stultus: et dolor matris quae genuit eum.
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Non est bonum, damnum inferre iusto: nec percutere principem, qui recta iudicat.
It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
27 Qui moderatur sermones suos, doctus et prudens est: et pretiosi spiritus vir eruditus.
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
28 Stultus quoque si tacuerit, sapiens reputabitur: et si compresserit labia sua, intelligens.
Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
