Proverbs 17-18

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.

18 Unfriendly people look out for themselves;
    they bicker with sensible people.
² Fools find no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing their opinion.
³ When the wicked arrive, so does contempt;
    with shame comes insult.
⁴ The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters,
    a bubbling stream, a fountain of wisdom.
⁵ Favoring the wicked isn’t good;
    it denies justice to the righteous.
⁶ The lips of fools make accusations;
    their mouths elicit beatings.
⁷ The mouth of fools is their ruin;
    their lips are a trap for their lives.
⁸ The words of gossips are like choice snacks;
    they go down to the inmost parts.
⁹ Those who are lazy in their work
    are brothers to thugs.
¹⁰ The Lord’s name is a strong tower;
    the righteous run to it and find refuge.
¹¹ The riches of the wealthy are a strong city
    and like a high wall in their imagination.
¹² Pride comes before a disaster,
    but humility comes before respect.
¹³ Those who answer before they listen
    are foolish and disgraceful.
¹⁴ The human spirit sustains a sick person,
    but who can bear a broken spirit?
¹⁵ An understanding mind gains knowledge;
    the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶ A gift opens the way
    for access to important people.
¹⁷ The first person to testify seems innocent,
    until the other comes and cross-examines him.
¹⁸ The dice settle conflicts
    and keep strong opponents apart.
¹⁹ An offended ally is more formidable than a city;
    such quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
²⁰ The stomach is satisfied
by the fruit of the mouth;
    one’s lips can earn a satisfying income.
²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue;
    those who love it will eat its fruit.
²² He who finds a wife finds what is good,
    gaining favor from the Lord.
²³ The poor plead for help,
    but the wealthy answer harshly.
²⁴ There are persons for companionship,
    but then there are friends who are more loyal than family.