Proverbios 17
1 Mejor es un bocado de pan seco, y en paz, que la casa de cuestión llena de víctimas.
It is better [to eat] a dry piece [of bread] and not have strife/quarrels than to have a big feast in a house where [everyone] is quarreling.
2 El siervo prudente se enseñoreará del hijo deshonrador; y entre los hermanos partirá la herencia.
A slave who acts wisely will [some day] be the boss of his master’s disgraceful son and when his master dies, the slave will receive part of his master’s possessions.
3 Afinador a la plata, y fragua al oro: mas Jehová prueba los corazones.
[Workers put] silver and gold in a very hot furnace [to burn out what is impure], and Yahweh [similarly] examines people’s inner beings [to see if they are pure].
4 El malo está atento al labio inicuo; y el mentiroso escucha a la lengua maldiciente.
Those who do what is evil pay attention to people who say [MTY] what is evil, and liars pay attention to [other people’s] lies.
5 El que escarnece al pobre, afrenta a su hacedor; y el que se alegra en la calamidad ajena no será sin castigo.
Those who make fun of poor [people] insult God, the one who made the poor [people], [and] those who are happy when [someone else has] troubles will certainly be punished [LIT] [by God].
6 Corona de los viejos son los hijos de los hijos; y la honra de los hijos, sus padres.
Old [people] are [usually] proud of [MET] their grandchildren, [just like] children are [usually] proud of their parents.
7 No conviene al insensato el labio excelente: ¿cuánto menos al príncipe el labio mentiroso?
Fine/Eloquent speech is not suitable for foolish people to say, just like lies are not suitable for rulers [to say].
8 Piedra preciosa es el presente en ojos de sus dueños: a donde quiera que se vuelve, da prosperidad.
People think that a bribe is like a magic stone [to persuade someone to do what they want him to do]; they think that because of the bribe, that person will do whatever they want him to do.
9 El que cubre la prevaricación, busca amistad: mas el que reitera la palabra, aparta al príncipe.
If you want people to like/love you, forgive them for the wrong things that they do to you. If you continue to remind them about those wrong things, they will no longer be your friends.
10 Aprovecha la reprensión en el entendido, más que cien azotes en el insensato.
Rebuking people who have good sense will accomplish more for them than hitting them 100 times [with a stick].
11 El rebelde no busca sino mal; y mensajero cruel será enviado contra él.
[Because] wicked people are always trying to cause trouble, someone will be sent to severely punish them.
12 Encuentre con el hombre un oso, que le hayan quitado sus cachorros, y no un insensato en su locura.
A mother bear whose cubs have been taken away from her is dangerous, but it is more dangerous to confront a foolish person who is doing something foolish.
13 El que da mal por bien, no se apartará mal de su casa.
If someone does something evil in return for something good being done to him, evil/trouble will never leave that person’s family.
14 Soltar las aguas es el principio de la contienda: pues antes que se revuelva el pleito, déjalo.
Starting a quarrel is like allowing water to start to leak out of a dam; they both need to be stopped before they get worse.
15 El que justifica al impío, y el que condena al justo, ambos a dos son abominación a Jehová.
There are two things that Yahweh hates: (Condemning innocent [people]/Saying that people who have done nothing wrong must be punished), and declaring that people who have done wicked things should not be punished.
16 ¿De qué sirve el precio en la mano del insensato para comprar sabiduría, no teniendo entendimiento?
It is useless to allow foolish people [RHQ] to try to become wise by paying for it, because they do not have enough good sense to become wise.
17 En todo tiempo ama el amigo: mas el hermano para la angustia es nacido.
Friends love [others] all the time, and relatives are able to help us when we have troubles.
18 El hombre falto de entendimiento toca la mano, fiando a otro delante de su amigo.
[If someone borrows money from another person], it is foolish for you to promise [IDM] that you will pay the money back if that other person is unable to pay back the money that he borrowed.
19 La prevaricación ama, el que ama pleito; y el que alza su portada, busca quebrantamiento.
Those who like to sin [also] like to cause strife/trouble; [and] those who build fancy doors in their houses [to show that they are very wealthy] (OR, speak proudly) are inviting disaster.
20 El perverso de corazón nunca hallará bien; y el que revuelve con su lengua, caerá en mal.
Those who (have perverse minds/are always thinking about doing evil things) will not prosper, and disasters will happen to those who always tell lies.
21 El que engendra al insensato, para su tristeza le engendra; y el padre del insensato no se alegrará.
Children who are foolish [soon] cause their parents to be very sad; their parents will not be joyful at all.
22 El corazón alegre hará buena disposición: mas el espíritu triste seca los huesos.
Being cheerful is [like swallowing] good medicine; being discouraged/gloomy [all the time will] (drain away your energy/cause you to become weak) [MTY].
23 El impío toma presentes del seno, para pervertir las veredas del derecho.
Wicked people/judges accept bribes that are given to them secretly, and as a result they do not decide matters justly/fairly.
24 En el rostro del entendido se parece la sabiduría: mas los ojos del insensato, hasta el cabo de la tierra.
Those who have good sense determine to do what is wise, but foolish people are always thinking about many different things [and never decide what they should do].
25 El hijo insensato es enojo a su padre; y amargura a la que le engendró.
Children who are foolish cause their father to be sad and [also] cause their mother to be very sorrowful.
26 Ciertamente condenar al justo, no es bueno: ni herir a los príncipes sobre el derecho.
It is not right to force someone who has done nothing wrong to pay a fine; it is wrong to punish good/respected people.
27 Detiene sus dichos el que sabe sabiduría; y de preciado espíritu es el hombre entendido.
Those who have good sense do not talk a lot, and those who (control their tempers/keep themselves from becoming very angry) are [truly] wise.
28 Aun el insensato cuando calla, es contado por sabio: el que cierra sus labios es entendido.
People [may] think that foolish people who do not say anything are wise; if foolish people (do not say anything/keep their mouths shut), others will think that they are [very] intelligent.
