Proverbs 17
New King James Version
The Lord Tests Hearts
2 A wise servant will rule over (B)a son who causes shame,
And will share an inheritance among the brothers.
3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
(C)But the Lord tests the hearts.
4 An evildoer gives heed to false lips;
A liar listens eagerly to a [b]spiteful tongue.
5 (D)He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;
(E)He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6 (F)Children’s children are the crown of old men,
And the glory of children is their father.
7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.
8 A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
10 (I)Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
Than a hundred blows on a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet (J)a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoever (K)rewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
Therefore (L)stop contention before a quarrel starts.
15 (M)He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since he has no heart for it?
17 (N)A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
18 (O)A man devoid of [c]understanding [d]shakes hands in a pledge,
And becomes [e]surety for his friend.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife,
And (P)he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.
20 He who has a [f]deceitful heart finds no good,
And he who has (Q)a perverse tongue falls into evil.
21 He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
23 A wicked man accepts a bribe [h]behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.
24 (S)Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A (T)foolish son is a grief to his father,
And bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Also, to punish the righteous is not good,
Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.
27 (U)He who has knowledge spares his words,
And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
28 (V)Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:1 Or sacrificial meals
- Proverbs 17:4 Lit. destructive
- Proverbs 17:18 Lit. heart
- Proverbs 17:18 Lit. strikes the hands
- Proverbs 17:18 guaranty or collateral
- Proverbs 17:20 crooked
- Proverbs 17:22 Or makes medicine even better
- Proverbs 17:23 Under cover, lit. from the bosom
Proverbs 17
21st Century King James Version
17 Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith than a house full of feasting 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 refining 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 wicked tongue.
5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker, and he that is glad at calamities shall not go 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 good friends.
10 A reproof entereth deeper into a wise man than a hundred stripes into a fool.
11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her whelps, rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoso returneth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like the letting out of water: therefore break off contention before it is meddled with.
15 He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just, both alike are an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should there be in the hands of a fool the price to purchase wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to acquire it?
17 A friend is loving at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man void of understanding shaketh hands in pledge, 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 iniquity.
21 He that begetteth a fool doeth so 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 bribe 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 on the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for their equity.
27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words, and a man of understanding is of excelling 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.