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Proverbs 17-19
Amplified Bible
Proverbs 17-19
Amplified Bible
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
17 Better is a dry morsel [of food served] with quietness and peace
Than a house full of feasting [served] with strife and contention.
2
A wise servant will rule over the [unworthy] son who acts shamefully and brings disgrace [to the family]
And [the worthy servant] will share in the inheritance among the brothers.
3
The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the Lord tests hearts.(A)
4
An evildoer listens closely to wicked lips;
And a liar pays attention to a destructive and malicious tongue.
5
Whoever mocks the poor taunts his Maker,
And he who rejoices at [another’s] disaster will not go unpunished.(B)
6
Grandchildren are the crown of aged men,
And the glory of children is their fathers [who live godly lives].(C)
7
Excellent speech does not benefit a fool [who is spiritually blind],
Much less do lying lips benefit a prince.
8
A bribe is like a bright, precious stone in the eyes of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9
He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love,
But he who repeats or gossips about a matter separates intimate friends.
10
A reprimand goes deeper into one who has understanding and a teachable spirit
Than a hundred lashes into a fool.(D)
11
A rebellious man seeks only evil;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12
Let a man meet a [ferocious] bear robbed of her cubs
Rather than the [angry, narcissistic] fool in his folly.(E)
13
Whoever returns evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.(F)
14
The beginning of strife is like letting out water [as from a small break in a dam; first it trickles and then it gushes];
Therefore [a]abandon the quarrel before it breaks out and tempers explode.
15
He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous
Are both repulsive to the Lord.(G)
16
Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
When he has no common sense or even a heart for it?
17
A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
18
A man lacking common sense gives a pledge
And becomes guarantor [for the debt of another] in the presence of his neighbor.
19
He who loves transgression loves strife and is quarrelsome;
He who [proudly] raises his gate seeks destruction [because of his arrogant pride].
20
He who has a crooked mind finds no good,
And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.(H)
21
He who becomes the parent of a fool [who is spiritually blind] does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool [who is spiritually blind] has no joy.
22
A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing,
But a broken spirit dries up the bones.(I)
23
A wicked man receives a bribe from the [hidden] pocket
To pervert the ways of justice.
24
[Skillful and godly] wisdom is in the presence of a person of understanding [and he recognizes it],
But the eyes of a [thickheaded] fool are on the ends of the earth.
25
A foolish son is a grief and anguish to his father
And bitterness to her who gave birth to him.
26
It is also not good to fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27
He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words,
And a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, an even temper).(J)
28
Even a [callous, arrogant] fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips he is regarded as sensible (prudent, discreet) and a man of understanding.
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
18 He who [willfully] separates himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire,
He quarrels against all sound wisdom.
2
A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity].
3
When the wicked man comes [to the depth of evil], contempt [of all that is pure and good] also comes,
And with inner baseness (dishonor) comes outer shame (scorn).
4
The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters [copious and difficult to fathom];
The fountain of [mature, godly] wisdom is like a bubbling stream [sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving].
5
To show respect to the wicked person is not good,
Nor to push aside and deprive the righteous of justice.
6
A fool’s lips bring contention and strife,
And his mouth invites a beating.
7
A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
8
The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten];
They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].
9
He who is careless in his work
Is a brother to him who destroys.
10
The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs to it and is safe and set on high [far above evil].
11
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall [of protection] in his own imagination and conceit.
12
Before disaster the heart of a man is haughty and filled with self-importance,
But humility comes before honor.
13
He who answers before he hears [the facts]—
It is folly and shame to him.(K)
14
The spirit of a man sustains him in sickness,
But as for a broken spirit, who can bear it?
15
The mind of the prudent [always] acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise [always] seeks knowledge.
16
A man’s gift [given in love or courtesy] makes room for him
And brings him before great men.(L)
17
The first one to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and cross-examines him.
18
[b]To cast lots puts an end to quarrels
And decides between powerful contenders.
19
A brother offended is harder to win over than a fortified city,
And contentions [separating families] are like the bars of a castle.
20
A man’s stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth;
He will be satisfied with the consequence of his words.
21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.(M)
22
He who finds a [[c]true and faithful] wife finds a good thing
And obtains favor and approval from the Lord.(N)
23
The poor man pleads,
But the rich man answers roughly.
24
The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin,
But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.
On Life and Conduct
19 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
Than a [rich] man who is twisted in his speech and is a [shortsighted] fool.
2
Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries with his feet [acting impulsively and proceeding without caution or analyzing the consequences] sins (misses the mark).
3
The foolishness of man undermines his way [ruining whatever he undertakes];
Then his heart is resentful and rages against the Lord [for, being a fool, he blames the Lord instead of himself].
4
Wealth makes many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.(O)
5
A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who breathes out lies will not escape.(P)
6
Many will seek the favor of a generous and noble man,
And everyone is a friend to him who gives gifts.
7
All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his friends abandon him!
He pursues them with words, but they are gone.
8
He who gains wisdom and good sense loves (preserves) his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good and prosper.
9
A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who breathes lies will perish.
10
Luxury is not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a slave to rule over princes.
11
Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger,
And it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense [without seeking revenge and harboring resentment].
12
The king’s wrath terrifies like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is as [refreshing and nourishing as] dew on the grass.(Q)
13
A foolish (ungodly) son is destruction to his father,
And the contentions of a [quarrelsome] wife are like a constant dripping [of water].
14
House and wealth are the inheritance from fathers,
But a wise, understanding, and sensible wife is [a gift and blessing] from the Lord.(R)
15
Laziness casts one into a deep sleep [unmindful of lost opportunity],
And the idle person will suffer hunger.
16
He who keeps and obeys the commandment [of the Lord] keeps (guards) his own life,
But he who is careless of his ways and conduct will die.(S)
17
He who is gracious and lends a hand to the poor lends to the Lord,
And the Lord will repay him for his good deed.(T)
18
Discipline and teach your son while there is hope,
And do not [indulge your anger or resentment by imposing inappropriate punishment nor] desire his destruction.
19
A man of great anger will bear the penalty [for his quick temper and lack of self-control];
For if you rescue him [and do not let him learn from the consequences of his action], you will only have to rescue him over and over again.
20
Listen to counsel, receive instruction, and accept correction,
That you may be wise in the time to come.
21
Many plans are in a man’s mind,
But it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand (be carried out).(U)
22
That which is desirable in a man is his loyalty and unfailing love,
But it is better to be a poor man than a [wealthy] liar.
23
The fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.(V)
24
The lazy man buries his hand in the [food] dish,
But will not even bring it to his mouth again.
25
Strike a scoffer [for refusing to learn], and the naive may [be warned and] become prudent;
Reprimand one who has understanding and a teachable spirit, and he will gain knowledge and insight.
26
He who assaults his father and chases away his mother
Is a son who brings shame and disgrace.(W)
27
Cease listening, my son, to instruction and discipline
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28
A wicked and worthless witness mocks justice,
And the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity.
29
Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And beatings for the backs of [thickheaded] fools.(X)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:14 The ancient rabbis derived from this statement the principle of seeking a settlement before a case comes to court (cf Matt 5:25; Luke 12:58).
- Proverbs 18:18 See note 16:33.
- Proverbs 18:22 In Jewish tradition it is said that in Israel, they used to ask a man who had married, “Matsa or motse?” “Matsa” is the Hebrew for “finds” here, where a good wife is in view, and “motse” is the word for “found” (NASB “discovered”) in Eccl 7:26.
Proverbs 17-19
New International Version
Proverbs 17-19
New International Version
17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.(A)
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor(D) shows contempt for their Maker;(E)
whoever gloats over disaster(F) will not go unpunished.(G)
6 Children’s children(H) are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(I)
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.(J)
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(K)
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(L)
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.(M)
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(P)
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?(S)
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(T)
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.(U)
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.(V)
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes(AA) wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.(AB)
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,(AC)
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,(AD)
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.(AE)
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.(AF)
18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.(AG)
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,(AH)
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.(AK)
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(AN)
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.(AO)
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;(AR)
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.(AS)
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.(AT)
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?(AU)
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,(AV)
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift(AW) opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes(AX)
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged(AY) is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.(AZ)
23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.(BE)
19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.(BF)
2 Desire without knowledge is not good—
how much more will hasty feet miss the way!(BG)
4 Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(BJ)
7 The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
how much more do their friends avoid them!(BP)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
they are nowhere to be found.[a](BQ)
8 The one who gets wisdom loves life;
the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.(BR)
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will perish.(BS)
10 It is not fitting for a fool(BT) to live in luxury—
how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!(BU)
11 A person’s wisdom yields patience;(BV)
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(BZ)
and a quarrelsome wife is like
the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(CA)
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless go hungry.(CD)
16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.(CE)
17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,(CF)
and he will reward them for what they have done.(CG)
18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to their death.(CH)
19 A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
rescue them, and you will have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,(CI)
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.(CJ)
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.(CK)
22 What a person desires is unfailing love[b];
better to be poor than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
then one rests content, untouched by trouble.(CL)
24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!(CM)
25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke the discerning,(CN) and they will gain knowledge.(CO)
26 Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother(CP)
is a child who brings shame and disgrace.
27 Stop listening to instruction, my son,(CQ)
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.(CR)
29 Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.(CS)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
- Proverbs 19:22 Or Greed is a person’s shame
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