Proverbs 17
English Standard Version
17 (A)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting[a] with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over (B)a son who acts shamefully
and (C)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 (D)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
(E)and the Lord tests hearts.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor (F)insults his Maker;
he who is (G)glad at calamity will not go (H)unpunished.
6 (I)Grandchildren are (J)the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not (K)becoming to a fool;
still less is (L)false speech to a prince.
8 (M)A bribe is like a magic[b] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever (N)covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter (O)separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and (P)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet (Q)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
(R)rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone (S)returns evil for good,
(T)evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so (U)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He who (V)justifies the wicked and he who (W)condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand (X)to buy wisdom
when he has no sense?
17 (Y)A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge
and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
he who (Z)makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 (AA)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21 He who (AB)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 (AC)A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit (AD)dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accepts (AE)a bribe in secret[c]
to (AF)pervert the ways of justice.
24 (AG)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 (AH)A foolish son is a grief to his father
(AI)and bitterness to (AJ)her who bore him.
26 (AK)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 Whoever (AL)restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool (AM)who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:1 Hebrew sacrifices
- Proverbs 17:8 Or precious
- Proverbs 17:23 Hebrew a bribe from the bosom
Proverbs 17
New Living Translation
17 Better a dry crust eaten in peace
than a house filled with feasting—and conflict.
2 A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance of the master’s children.
3 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
4 Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip;
liars pay close attention to slander.
5 Those who mock the poor insult their Maker;
those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.
6 Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged;
parents[a] are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool;
even less are lies fitting for a ruler.
8 A bribe is like a lucky charm;
whoever gives one will prosper!
9 Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,
but dwelling on it separates close friends.
10 A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding
than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.
11 Evil people are eager for rebellion,
but they will be severely punished.
12 It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.
13 If you repay good with evil,
evil will never leave your house.
14 Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate,
so stop before a dispute breaks out.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
both are detestable to the Lord.
16 It is senseless to pay to educate a fool,
since he has no heart for learning.
17 A friend is always loyal,
and a brother is born to help in time of need.
18 It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt
or put up security for a friend.
19 Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin;
anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.
20 The crooked heart will not prosper;
the lying tongue tumbles into trouble.
21 It is painful to be the parent of a fool;
there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
23 The wicked take secret bribes
to pervert the course of justice.
24 Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25 Foolish children[b] bring grief to their father
and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.
26 It is wrong to punish the godly for being good
or to flog leaders for being honest.
27 A truly wise person uses few words;
a person with understanding is even-tempered.
28 Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent;
with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
Proverbios 17
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
17 Mejor es un bocado seco y con él tranquilidad,
Que una casa llena de banquetes con discordia[a](A).
2 El siervo prudente prevalecerá sobre el hijo sin honra,
Y con[b] los hermanos participará de la herencia.
3 El crisol es para la plata y el horno para el oro(B),
Pero el Señor prueba los corazones(C).
4 El malhechor escucha a los labios perversos(D);
El mentiroso[c] presta atención a la lengua detractora.
5 El que se burla del pobre afrenta a su Hacedor(E);
El que se regocija de la desgracia(F) no quedará sin castigo.
6 Corona de los ancianos son los nietos(G),
Y la gloria de los hijos son sus padres(H).
7 No convienen al necio las palabras elocuentes[d](I),
Mucho menos al príncipe los labios mentirosos(J).
8 Talismán[e] es el soborno(K) a los ojos de su dueño;
Dondequiera que se vuelva, prospera.
9 El que cubre una falta busca afecto(L),
Pero el que repite el asunto separa a los mejores amigos(M).
10 La reprensión penetra más en el que tiene entendimiento
Que cien azotes en el necio.
11 El rebelde solo busca el mal,
Y un cruel mensajero se enviará contra él.
12 Mejor es encontrarse con una osa privada de sus cachorros(N),
Que con un necio en su necedad(O).
13 Al que devuelve mal por bien(P),
El mal no se apartará de su casa(Q).
14 El comienzo del pleito es como el soltar de las aguas;
Deja, pues, la riña antes de que empiece(R).
15 El que justifica al impío y el que condena al justo(S),
Ambos son igualmente abominación al Señor.
16 ¿De qué sirve[f] el precio en la mano del necio para comprar sabiduría(T)
Cuando no tiene entendimiento[g]?
17 En todo tiempo ama el amigo(U),
Y el hermano nace para tiempo de angustia.
18 El hombre falto de entendimiento[h] se compromete[i],
Y sale fiador a favor de su prójimo(V).
19 El que ama la transgresión, ama el pleito(W);
El que alza su puerta, busca la destrucción(X).
20 El de corazón perverso nunca encuentra el bien(Y),
Y el de lengua pervertida cae en el mal(Z).
21 El que engendra un necio, para su tristeza lo engendra,
Y el padre del necio no tiene alegría(AA).
22 El corazón alegre es buena medicina[j](AB),
Pero el espíritu quebrantado seca los huesos(AC).
23 El impío recibe soborno(AD) bajo el manto[k]
Para pervertir las sendas del derecho(AE).
24 En presencia del que tiene entendimiento está la sabiduría,
Pero los ojos del necio(AF) están en los extremos de la tierra.
25 El hijo necio es pesadumbre de su padre(AG)
Y amargura para la que lo dio a luz(AH).
26 Ciertamente no es bueno multar al justo(AI),
Ni golpear a los nobles por su rectitud.
27 El que retiene sus palabras tiene conocimiento[l](AJ),
Y el de espíritu sereno es hombre entendido(AK).
28 Aun el necio, cuando calla, es tenido por sabio,
Cuando cierra los labios, por prudente(AL).
Footnotes
- 17:1 Lit. sacrificios de discordia.
- 17:2 Lit. entre.
- 17:4 Lit. la falsedad.
- 17:7 Lit. el labio de abundancia.
- 17:8 Lit. Piedra de favor.
- 17:16 Lit. ¿Entonces por qué.
- 17:16 Lit. no hay corazón.
- 17:18 Lit. corazón.
- 17:18 Lit. da la palma.
- 17:22 Lit. causa buena curación.
- 17:23 Lit. del seno.
- 17:27 Lit. sabe.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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