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箴言 17
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
箴言 17
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
和睦共处，持守正义
17 平静相安地吃一块干饼，
胜过筵席满屋，吵闹相争。
2 明慧的仆人，必管辖主人贻羞的儿子；
又可以在众儿子中同分产业。
3 用锅炼银，用炉炼金；
唯有耶和华锻炼人心。
4 作恶的人留心听邪恶的话；
说谎的人侧耳听攻击人的话。
5 嘲笑穷人的就是辱骂造他的主；
幸灾乐祸的必难免受惩罚。
6 儿孙是老人的冠冕，
父亲是儿女的荣耀。
7 愚顽人说佳美的话是不相称的，
何况尊贵的人说虚谎的话呢！
8 在馈送的人看来，贿赂有如灵符（“灵符”原文作“恩惠宝石”）；
无论他到哪里，都必顺利。
9 遮掩别人过犯的，得到人的喜爱；
屡次提起别人过错的，离间亲密的朋友。
10 对聪明人说一句责备的话，
胜过责打愚昧人一百下。
11 悖逆的人只求恶事，
必有残忍的使者奉派去对付他。
12 宁愿遇见失掉幼子的母熊，
也不愿遇见正在行愚妄事的愚昧人。
13 以恶报善的，
灾祸必不离开他的家。
14 纷争的开始，如同决堤的水；
所以在争执发生以前，就要制止。
15 宣判恶人为义，裁定义人有罪，
二者都是耶和华所厌恶的。
16 愚昧人既是无知，
为甚么手里拿着价银要买智慧呢？
17 朋友常显爱心，
兄弟为患难而生。
18 为邻舍击掌作保证人的，
是无知的人。
19 喜爱争竞的就是喜爱过犯；
把家门建高的自取灭亡。
20 心存欺诈的得不着益处；
舌头搬弄是非的必陷在祸患中。
21 生下愚昧的儿子，使父亲忧愁；
愚顽人的父亲毫无喜乐。
22 心里喜乐就是良药；
心灵忧郁使骨头枯干。
23 恶人暗中（“暗中”原文作“从怀里”）接受贿赂，
为要歪曲公正。
24 聪明人面前有智慧，
愚昧人却眼望地极。
25 愚昧的儿子使父亲愁烦，
使母亲痛苦。
26 惩罚义人，已是不当；
击打正直的官长，更是不妥。
27 有知识的约束自己的言语；
聪明人心平气和。
28 愚妄人默不作声，也算是智慧；
闭口不言，也算是聪明。
Proverbs 17
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Proverbs 17
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 17
1 Better a dry crust with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife.[a]
2 A wise servant will rule over an unworthy son,
and will share the inheritance of the children.[b]
3 The crucible for silver, and the furnace for gold,
but the tester of hearts is the Lord.
4 The evildoer gives heed to wicked lips,
the liar, to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor reviles their Maker;
whoever rejoices in their misfortune will not go unpunished.(A)
6 Children’s children are the crown of the elderly,
and the glory of children is their parentage.
7 Fine words ill fit a fool;
how much more lying lips, a noble!
8 A bribe seems a charm to its user;
at every turn it brings success.[c]
9 Whoever overlooks an offense fosters friendship,
but whoever gossips about it separates friends.[d]
10 A single reprimand does more for a discerning person
than a hundred lashes for a fool.[e]
11 The wicked pursue only rebellion,
and a merciless messenger is sent against them.[f]
12 Face a bear robbed of her cubs,
but never fools in their folly![g]
13 If you return evil for good,
evil will not depart from your house.[h](B)
14 The start of strife is like the opening of a dam;
check a quarrel before it bursts forth!
15 Whoever acquits the wicked,(C) whoever condemns the just—
both are an abomination to the Lord.
16 Of what use is money in the hands of fools
when they have no heart to acquire wisdom?[i]
17 A friend is a friend at all times,
and a brother is born for the time of adversity.(D)
18 Those without sense give their hands in pledge,
becoming surety for their neighbors.(E)
19 Those who love an offense love a fight;(F)
those who build their gate high[j] court disaster.
20 The perverse in heart come to no good,
and the double-tongued fall into trouble.[k]
21 Whoever conceives a fool has grief;
the father of a numskull has no joy.
22 A joyful heart is the health of the body,
but a depressed spirit dries up the bones.(G)
23 A guilty person takes out a bribe from the pocket,
thus perverting the course of justice.[l]
24 On the countenance of a discerning person is wisdom,(H)
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.[m]
25 A foolish son is vexation to his father,
and bitter sorrow to her who bore him.(I)
26 It is wrong to fine an innocent person,
but beyond reason to scourge nobles.
27 Those who spare their words are truly knowledgeable,
and those who are discreet are intelligent.(J)
28 Even fools, keeping silent, are considered wise;
if they keep their lips closed, intelligent.[n]
Footnotes
- 17:1 A “better than” saying, stating the circumstances when a dry crust is better than a banquet. Peace and fellowship give joy to a meal, not the richness of the food. For a similar thought, see 15:16 and 16:8.
- 17:2 Ability is esteemed more highly than ties of blood.
- 17:8 An observation on the effect of the bribe upon the bribe-giver: it gives an intoxicating feeling of power (“seems”). In v. 23 the evil effects of a bribe are noted.
- 17:9 A paradox. One finds (love, friend) by concealing (an offense), one loses (a friend) by revealing (a secret). In 10:12 love also covers over a multitude of offenses.
- 17:10 A wonderful comment on the openness and sensitivity of the wise and the foolish. One type learns from a single word and for the other one hundred blows are not enough.
- 17:11 The irony is that such people will meet up with what they so energetically pursue—in the form of an unrelenting emissary sent to them.
- 17:12 Humorous hyperbole. An outraged dangerous beast poses less danger than a fool.
- 17:13 The paradox is that to pay out evil for good means that the evil will never leave one’s own house.
- 17:16 The exhortation to acquire or purchase wisdom is common in Proverbs. Fools misunderstand the metaphor, assuming they can buy it with money. Their very misunderstanding shows they have no “heart” = mind, understanding. Money in the hand is no good without such a “heart” to store it in.
- 17:19 Build their gate high: a symbol of arrogance.
- 17:20 The saying employs the familiar metaphors of walking = conducting oneself (“fall into trouble”), and of straight and crooked = right and wrong (“perverse,” “double-tongued”).
- 17:23 A sharp look at the sly withdrawing of a bribe from the pocket and a blunt judgment on its significance.
- 17:24 Wisdom is visible on the countenance (i.e., mouth, lips, tongue) of the wise person; its ultimate source is the heart. Fools have no such source of wisdom within them, a point that is nicely made by referring to the eye of the fool, roving over the landscape.
- 17:28 Related to v. 27. Words provide a glimpse into the heart. In the unlikely event that fools, who usually pour out words (15:2), were to say nothing, people would not be able to see their folly and would presume them intelligent. Alas, the saying is contrary to fact.
Proverbs 17
New International Version
Proverbs 17
New International Version
17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.(A)
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor(D) shows contempt for their Maker;(E)
whoever gloats over disaster(F) will not go unpunished.(G)
6 Children’s children(H) are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(I)
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.(J)
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(K)
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(L)
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.(M)
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(P)
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?(S)
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(T)
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.(U)
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.(V)
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes(AA) wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.(AB)
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,(AC)
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,(AD)
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.(AE)
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.(AF)
Chinese New Version (Simplified) (CNVS)
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New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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