Proverbs 17:1-14

English Standard Version

17 ^(A)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting^[a] with strife.
² A servant who deals wisely will rule over ^(B)a son who acts shamefully
    and ^(C)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
^3 (D)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    ^(E)and the Lord tests hearts.
⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
⁵ Whoever mocks the poor ^(F)insults his Maker;
    he who is ^(G)glad at calamity will not go ^(H)unpunished.
^6 (I)Grandchildren are ^(J)the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
⁷ Fine speech is not ^(K)becoming to a fool;
    still less is ^(L)false speech to a prince.
^8 (M)A bribe is like a magic^[b] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
⁹ Whoever ^(N)covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter ^(O)separates close friends.
¹⁰ A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and ^(P)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹² Let a man meet ^(Q)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    ^(R)rather than a fool in his folly.
¹³ If anyone ^(S)returns evil for good,
    ^(T)evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so ^(U)quit before the quarrel breaks out.