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Proverbs 17-19
English Standard Version
Proverbs 17-19
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.
15 He who (V)justifies the wicked and he who (W)condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand (X)to buy wisdom
when he has no sense?
17 (Y)A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge
and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
he who (Z)makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 (AA)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21 He who (AB)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 (AC)A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit (AD)dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accepts (AE)a bribe in secret[c]
to (AF)pervert the ways of justice.
24 (AG)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 (AH)A foolish son is a grief to his father
(AI)and bitterness to (AJ)her who bore him.
26 (AK)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 Whoever (AL)restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool (AM)who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
18 Whoever (AN)isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.
2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only (AO)in expressing his opinion.
3 When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
4 The words of a man's mouth are (AP)deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
5 It is not good to (AQ)be partial to[d] the wicked
or to (AR)deprive the righteous of justice.
6 A fool's lips walk into a fight,
and his mouth invites (AS)a beating.
7 (AT)A fool's mouth is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.
8 (AU)The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into (AV)the inner parts of the body.
9 Whoever is slack in his work
is a (AW)brother to him who destroys.
10 (AX)The name of the Lord is (AY)a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and (AZ)is safe.
11 (BA)A rich man's wealth is his strong city,
and like a high wall in his imagination.
12 (BB)Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
but (BC)humility comes before honor.
13 If one gives an answer (BD)before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.
14 A man's spirit will endure sickness,
but (BE)a crushed spirit who can bear?
15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man's (BF)gift makes room for him
and brings him before the great.
17 The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.
18 (BG)The lot puts an end to quarrels
and decides between powerful contenders.
19 A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
20 (BH)From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
21 (BI)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
22 He who finds (BJ)a wife finds (BK)a good thing
and (BL)obtains favor (BM)from the Lord.
23 The poor use entreaties,
but (BN)the rich answer roughly.
24 A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but (BO)there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
19 (BP)Better is a poor person who (BQ)walks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
2 Desire[e] without knowledge is not good,
and whoever (BR)makes haste with his feet misses his way.
3 When a man's folly (BS)brings his way to ruin,
his heart (BT)rages against the Lord.
4 (BU)Wealth brings many new friends,
(BV)but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5 (BW)A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who (BX)breathes out lies will not escape.
6 Many seek the favor of a generous man,[f]
and everyone is a friend to a man who gives (BY)gifts.
7 (BZ)All a poor man's brothers hate him;
(CA)how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.[g]
8 (CB)Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will (CC)discover good.
9 (CD)A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who (CE)breathes out lies will perish.
10 (CF)It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for (CG)a slave to rule over princes.
11 (CH)Good sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king's wrath is like (CI)the growling of a lion,
but his (CJ)favor is like (CK)dew on the grass.
13 (CL)A foolish son is ruin to his father,
and (CM)a wife's quarreling is (CN)a continual dripping of rain.
14 (CO)House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is (CP)from the Lord.
15 (CQ)Slothfulness casts into (CR)a deep sleep,
and (CS)an idle person will suffer hunger.
16 Whoever (CT)keeps the commandment keeps his life;
he who despises his ways will die.
17 (CU)Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he (CV)will repay him for his (CW)deed.
18 (CX)Discipline your son, for there is hope;
do not set your heart on (CY)putting him to death.
19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom in (CZ)the future.
21 (DA)Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but (DB)it is the purpose of the Lord (DC)that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord (DD)leads to life,
and whoever has it rests (DE)satisfied;
he will (DF)not be visited by harm.
24 (DG)The sluggard buries his hand in (DH)the dish
and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 (DI)Strike (DJ)a scoffer, and the simple will (DK)learn prudence;
(DL)reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
is (DM)a son who brings shame and reproach.
27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
(DN)and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked (DO)devours iniquity.
29 Condemnation is ready for (DP)scoffers,
and (DQ)beating for the backs of fools.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:1 Hebrew sacrifices
- Proverbs 17:8 Or precious
- Proverbs 17:23 Hebrew a bribe from the bosom
- Proverbs 18:5 Hebrew to lift the face of
- Proverbs 19:2 Or A soul
- Proverbs 19:6 Or of a noble
- Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew sentence is uncertain
Proverbs 17-19
New International Version
Proverbs 17-19
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)
18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.(AG)
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,(AH)
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.(AK)
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(AN)
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.(AO)
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;(AR)
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.(AS)
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.(AT)
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?(AU)
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,(AV)
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift(AW) opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes(AX)
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged(AY) is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.(AZ)
23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.(BE)
19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.(BF)
2 Desire without knowledge is not good—
how much more will hasty feet miss the way!(BG)
4 Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(BJ)
7 The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
how much more do their friends avoid them!(BP)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
they are nowhere to be found.[a](BQ)
8 The one who gets wisdom loves life;
the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.(BR)
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will perish.(BS)
10 It is not fitting for a fool(BT) to live in luxury—
how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!(BU)
11 A person’s wisdom yields patience;(BV)
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(BZ)
and a quarrelsome wife is like
the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(CA)
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless go hungry.(CD)
16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.(CE)
17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,(CF)
and he will reward them for what they have done.(CG)
18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to their death.(CH)
19 A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
rescue them, and you will have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,(CI)
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.(CJ)
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.(CK)
22 What a person desires is unfailing love[b];
better to be poor than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
then one rests content, untouched by trouble.(CL)
24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!(CM)
25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke the discerning,(CN) and they will gain knowledge.(CO)
26 Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother(CP)
is a child who brings shame and disgrace.
27 Stop listening to instruction, my son,(CQ)
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.(CR)
29 Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.(CS)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
- Proverbs 19:22 Or Greed is a person’s shame
Proverbs 17-19
King James Version
Proverbs 17-19
King James Version
17 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.
4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
10 A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.
16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?
17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.
26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
18 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
4 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.
23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
19 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the Lord.
4 Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
6 Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.
7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.
8 He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.
9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.
10 Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
12 The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.
13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.
17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
22 The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
24 A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.
26 He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.
27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.
28 An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.
29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.