Proverbs 17:1-14

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.

³ A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,^(B)
and the Lord is the tester of hearts.^(C)

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.

⁸ A bribe^(F) seems like a magic stone to its owner;
wherever he turns, he succeeds.^(G)

⁹ Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,^(H)
but whoever gossips about it separates friends.^(I)

¹⁰ A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

¹¹ An evil person desires only rebellion;
a cruel messenger^[b](J) will be sent against him.

¹² Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubs^(K)
than a fool in his foolishness.

¹³ If anyone returns evil for good,^(L)
evil will never depart from his house.^(M)

¹⁴ To start a conflict is to release a flood;
stop the dispute before it breaks out.^(N)