Proverbs 17
Christian Standard Bible
17 Better a dry crust with peace
than a house full of feasting with strife.(A)
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and share an inheritance among brothers.
4 A wicked person listens to malicious talk;[a]
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,(D)
and one who rejoices over calamity
will not go unpunished.(E)
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,
and the pride of children is their fathers.
7 Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;
how much worse are lies for a ruler.
10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.
12 Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubs(K)
than a fool in his foolishness.
14 To start a conflict is to release a flood;
stop the dispute before it breaks out.(N)
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just(O)—
both are detestable to the Lord.
16 Why does a fool have money in his hand
with no intention of buying wisdom?(P)
17 A friend loves at all times,(Q)
and a brother is born for a difficult time.
19 One who loves to offend loves strife;(S)
one who builds a high threshold invites injury.
20 One with a twisted mind will not succeed,
and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.(T)
21 A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow;
the father of a fool has no joy.(U)
22 A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit dries up the bones.(V)
24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,
but a fool’s eyes(Y) roam to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is grief to his father
and bitterness to the one who bore him.(Z)
27 The one who has knowledge restrains his words,(AB)
and one who keeps a cool head[e]
is a person of understanding.
28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent—
discerning, when he seals his lips.(AC)
Proverbs 17
Common English Bible
17 Better a dry crust with quiet
than a house full of feasting with quarrels.
2 An insightful servant rules over a disgraceful son
and will divide an inheritance
with the brothers.
3 A crucible is for silver and a furnace for gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
4 An evildoer pays attention to guilty lips;
a liar listens to a destructive tongue.
5 Those who mock the poor insult their maker;
those who rejoice in disaster won’t go unpunished.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,
and the glory of children is their parents.
7 Too much talking isn’t right for a fool;
even less so false speech for an honorable person.
8 A bribe seems magical in the eyes of those who give it,
granting success to all who use it.
9 One who seeks love conceals an offense,
but one who repeats it divides friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper to an understanding person
than a hundred lashes to a fool.
11 Evil people seek only rebellion;
a cruel messenger will be sent against them.
12 Safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than fools in their folly.
13 Evil will never depart from the house
of those who return evil for good.
14 The start of a quarrel is like letting out water,
so drop the dispute before it breaks out.
15 Judging the righteous wicked and the wicked righteous—
the Lord detests both of these.
16 Why should a fool have money
to pay for wisdom? He has no mind.
17 Friends love all the time,
and kinsfolk are born for times of trouble.
18 One with no sense shakes hands on a deal,
securing a loan for a friend.
19 Those who love an offense love a quarrel;
those who build a high doorway invite a collapse.
20 Those with crooked hearts won’t prosper,
and those with twisted tongues will fall into trouble.
21 Having a fool for a son brings grief;
there’s no joy for a scoundrel’s father.
22 A joyful heart helps healing,
but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 The wicked take secret bribes
to twist the way of justice.
24 Wisdom is right in front of those with understanding,
but the eyes of fools are off to the edges of the earth.
25 A foolish son is irritating to his father
and bitter to her who gave birth to him.
26 It isn’t good to punish the righteous,
to strike the honorable for their integrity.
27 Wise are those who restrain their talking;
people with understanding are coolheaded.
28 Fools who keep quiet are deemed wise;
those who shut their lips are smart.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible