Proverbs 17
Legacy Standard Bible
17 (A)Better is a dry morsel and tranquility with it
Than a house full of [a]feasting with strife.
2 A slave who acts insightfully will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers.
3 The (B)refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But (C)Yahweh tests hearts.
4 An (D)evildoer gives heed to lips of wickedness;
[b]A liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 He who mocks the (E)poor reproaches his Maker;
He who is (F)glad at disaster will not go unpunished.
6 [c](G)Grandchildren are the crown of old men,
And the (H)beauty of sons is their fathers.
7 (I)Excellent lips are not fitting for a [d]wicked fool,
Even less are (J)lying lips for a noble man.
8 A (K)bribe is a [e]charm in the eyes of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9 He who (L)covers a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter (M)separates close companions.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who understands
Than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 A rebellious man seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a (N)man meet a (O)bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.
13 He who (P)returns evil for good,
(Q)Evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So (R)abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
15 He who (S)justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,
Both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to (T)acquire wisdom,
When [f]he has no heart of wisdom?
17 A (U)friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man lacking a heart of wisdom (V)strikes his [g]hands in pledge
And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.
19 He who (W)loves transgression loves quarreling;
He who (X)makes his doorway high seeks destruction.
20 He who has a crooked heart (Y)finds no good,
And he who is (Z)perverted in his tongue falls into evil.
21 He who (AA)begets a fool does so to his grief,
And the father of a wicked fool is not glad.
22 A (AB)glad heart [h]is good medicine,
But a broken spirit (AC)dries up the bones.
23 A wicked man receives a (AD)bribe from the bosom
To (AE)thrust aside the paths of justice.
24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who understands,
But the (AF)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A (AG)foolish son is a vexation to his father
And (AH)bitterness to her who gave birth to him.
26 It is also not good to (AI)punish the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 He who (AJ)holds back his words [i]has knowledge,
And he who has a (AK)cool spirit is a man of discernment.
28 Even an ignorant fool, when he (AL)keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered understanding.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:1 Lit sacrifices of strife
- Proverbs 17:4 Lit Falsehood
- Proverbs 17:6 Lit Sons’ sons
- Proverbs 17:7 One who rejects wisdom in rebellion against God
- Proverbs 17:8 Lit stone of grace
- Proverbs 17:16 Lit there is no heart
- Proverbs 17:18 Lit palms
- Proverbs 17:22 Lit causes good healing
- Proverbs 17:27 Lit knows
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.
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Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible