Proverbs 17-21
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.
18 Whoever (AN)isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.
2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only (AO)in expressing his opinion.
3 When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
4 The words of a man's mouth are (AP)deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
5 It is not good to (AQ)be partial to[d] the wicked
or to (AR)deprive the righteous of justice.
6 A fool's lips walk into a fight,
and his mouth invites (AS)a beating.
7 (AT)A fool's mouth is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.
8 (AU)The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into (AV)the inner parts of the body.
9 Whoever is slack in his work
is a (AW)brother to him who destroys.
10 (AX)The name of the Lord is (AY)a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and (AZ)is safe.
11 (BA)A rich man's wealth is his strong city,
and like a high wall in his imagination.
12 (BB)Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
but (BC)humility comes before honor.
13 If one gives an answer (BD)before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.
14 A man's spirit will endure sickness,
but (BE)a crushed spirit who can bear?
15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man's (BF)gift makes room for him
and brings him before the great.
17 The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.
18 (BG)The lot puts an end to quarrels
and decides between powerful contenders.
19 A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
20 (BH)From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
21 (BI)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
22 He who finds (BJ)a wife finds (BK)a good thing
and (BL)obtains favor (BM)from the Lord.
23 The poor use entreaties,
but (BN)the rich answer roughly.
24 A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but (BO)there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
19 (BP)Better is a poor person who (BQ)walks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
2 Desire[e] without knowledge is not good,
and whoever (BR)makes haste with his feet misses his way.
3 When a man's folly (BS)brings his way to ruin,
his heart (BT)rages against the Lord.
4 (BU)Wealth brings many new friends,
(BV)but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5 (BW)A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who (BX)breathes out lies will not escape.
6 Many seek the favor of a generous man,[f]
and everyone is a friend to a man who gives (BY)gifts.
7 (BZ)All a poor man's brothers hate him;
(CA)how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.[g]
8 (CB)Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will (CC)discover good.
9 (CD)A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who (CE)breathes out lies will perish.
10 (CF)It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for (CG)a slave to rule over princes.
11 (CH)Good sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king's wrath is like (CI)the growling of a lion,
but his (CJ)favor is like (CK)dew on the grass.
13 (CL)A foolish son is ruin to his father,
and (CM)a wife's quarreling is (CN)a continual dripping of rain.
14 (CO)House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is (CP)from the Lord.
15 (CQ)Slothfulness casts into (CR)a deep sleep,
and (CS)an idle person will suffer hunger.
16 Whoever (CT)keeps the commandment keeps his life;
he who despises his ways will die.
17 (CU)Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he (CV)will repay him for his (CW)deed.
18 (CX)Discipline your son, for there is hope;
do not set your heart on (CY)putting him to death.
19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom in (CZ)the future.
21 (DA)Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but (DB)it is the purpose of the Lord (DC)that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord (DD)leads to life,
and whoever has it rests (DE)satisfied;
he will (DF)not be visited by harm.
24 (DG)The sluggard buries his hand in (DH)the dish
and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 (DI)Strike (DJ)a scoffer, and the simple will (DK)learn prudence;
(DL)reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
is (DM)a son who brings shame and reproach.
27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
(DN)and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked (DO)devours iniquity.
29 Condemnation is ready for (DP)scoffers,
and (DQ)beating for the backs of fools.
20 (DR)Wine is a mocker, (DS)strong drink a brawler,
and whoever (DT)is led astray by it is not wise.[h]
2 The terror of a king is like (DU)the growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger (DV)forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to (DW)keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
4 (DX)The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
(DY)he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man's heart is like (DZ)deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man (EA)proclaims his own steadfast love,
but (EB)a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who (EC)walks in his integrity—
(ED)blessed are his children after him!
8 (EE)A king who sits on the throne of judgment
(EF)winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 (EG)Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
10 (EH)Unequal[i] weights and unequal measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child (EI)makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright.[j]
12 (EJ)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
(EK)the Lord has made them both.
13 (EL)Love not sleep, lest you (EM)come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have (EN)plenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of (EO)costly stones,
(EP)but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 (EQ)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and (ER)hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.[k]
17 (ES)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of (ET)gravel.
18 (EU)Plans are established by counsel;
by (EV)wise guidance (EW)wage war.
19 Whoever (EX)goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with (EY)a simple babbler.[l]
20 (EZ)If one curses his father or his mother,
(FA)his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 (FB)An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, (FC)“I will repay evil”;
(FD)wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 (FE)Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and (FF)false scales are not good.
24 A man's (FG)steps are from the Lord;
how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only (FH)after making vows.
26 A wise king (FI)winnows the wicked
and drives (FJ)the wheel over them.
27 (FK)The spirit[m] of man is the lamp of the Lord,
(FL)searching all (FM)his innermost parts.
28 (FN)Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his (FO)throne is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
but (FP)the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 (FQ)Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean (FR)the innermost parts.
21 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he (FS)turns it wherever he will.
2 (FT)Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord (FU)weighs the heart.
3 (FV)To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 (FW)Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
(FX)the lamp[n] of the wicked, are sin.
5 The plans of (FY)the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is (FZ)hasty comes (GA)only to poverty.
6 (GB)The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a (GC)fleeting (GD)vapor and a (GE)snare of death.[o]
7 The violence of the wicked will (GF)sweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of the guilty (GG)is crooked,
but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9 It is (GH)better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When (GI)a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 The Righteous One (GJ)observes the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13 (GK)Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself call out and not be answered.
14 (GL)A gift in secret averts anger,
and a concealed bribe,[p] strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
(GM)but terror to evildoers.
16 One who wanders from the way of good sense
(GN)will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 (GO)The wicked is a (GP)ransom for the righteous,
and the traitor for the upright.
19 It is (GQ)better to live in a desert land
than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20 (GR)Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,
but a foolish man (GS)devours it.
21 Whoever (GT)pursues righteousness and kindness
will find (GU)life, righteousness, and honor.
22 (GV)A wise man scales the city of the mighty
and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 (GW)Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
(GX)keeps himself out of (GY)trouble.
24 (GZ)“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
who acts with arrogant pride.
25 The desire of (HA)the sluggard kills him,
for his hands refuse to labor.
26 All day long he craves and craves,
but the righteous (HB)gives and does not hold back.
27 (HC)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
how much more (HD)when he brings it with evil intent.
28 (HE)A false witness will perish,
but the word of a man who hears will endure.
29 A wicked man puts on a bold face,
but the upright (HF)gives thought to[q] his ways.
30 (HG)No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
can avail against the Lord.
31 (HH)The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but (HI)the victory belongs to the Lord.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:1 Hebrew sacrifices
- Proverbs 17:8 Or precious
- Proverbs 17:23 Hebrew a bribe from the bosom
- Proverbs 18:5 Hebrew to lift the face of
- Proverbs 19:2 Or A soul
- Proverbs 19:6 Or of a noble
- Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew sentence is uncertain
- Proverbs 20:1 Or will not become wise
- Proverbs 20:10 Or Two kinds of; also verse 23
- Proverbs 20:11 Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright
- Proverbs 20:16 Or for an adulteress (compare 27:13)
- Proverbs 20:19 Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips
- Proverbs 20:27 Hebrew breath
- Proverbs 21:4 Or the plowing
- Proverbs 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Latin; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
- Proverbs 21:14 Hebrew a bribe in the bosom
- Proverbs 21:29 Or establishes
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.