Proverbs 17:19-28

Holman Christian Standard Bible

¹⁹One who loves to offend loves strife;^(A)
one who builds a high threshold invites injury.

²⁰One with a twisted mind will not succeed,
and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.^(B)

²¹A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow;
the father of a fool has no joy.^(C)

²²A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit dries up the bones.^(D)

²³A wicked man secretly takes a bribe^(E)
to subvert the course of justice.^(F)

²⁴Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,
but a fool’s eyes^(G) roam to the ends of the earth.

²⁵A foolish son is grief to his father
and bitterness to the one who bore him.^(H)

²⁶It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person
or to beat a noble for his honesty.^[a]^(I)

²⁷The intelligent person restrains his words,^(J)
and one who keeps a cool head^[b]
is a man of understanding.

²⁸Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent,
discerning when he seals his lips.^(K)

Proverbs 17:19-28

New International Version

¹⁹Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.

²⁰One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.

²¹To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.^(A)

²²A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed^(B) spirit dries up the bones.^(C)

²³The wicked accept bribes^(D) in secret
to pervert the course of justice.^(E)

²⁴A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes^(F) wander to the ends of the earth.

²⁵A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.^(G)

²⁶If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,^(H)
surely to flog honest officials is not right.

²⁷The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,^(I)
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.^(J)

²⁸Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.^(K)

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

New International Version (NIV)