Proverbs 17:12-23

New King James Version

¹²Let a man meet ^(A)a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.

¹³Whoever ^(B)rewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.

¹⁴The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
Therefore ^(C)stop contention before a quarrel starts.

¹⁵^(D)He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

¹⁶Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since he has no heart for it?

¹⁷^(E)A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.

¹⁸^(F)A man devoid of ^[a]understanding ^[b]shakes hands in a pledge,
And becomes ^[c]surety for his friend.

¹⁹He who loves transgression loves strife,
And ^(G)he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.

²⁰He who has a ^[d]deceitful heart finds no good,
And he who has ^(H)a perverse tongue falls into evil.

²¹He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.

²²A ^(I)merry heart ^[e]does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

²³A wicked man accepts a bribe ^[f]behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.

Proverbs 17:12-23

New International Version

¹²Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.^(A)

¹³Evil will never leave the house
of one who pays back evil^(B) for good.^(C)

¹⁴Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.^(D)

¹⁵Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent^(E)—
the Lord detests them both.^(F)

¹⁶Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?^(G)

¹⁷A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.^(H)

¹⁸One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.^(I)

¹⁹Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.

²⁰One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.

²¹To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.^(J)

²²A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed^(K) spirit dries up the bones.^(L)

²³The wicked accept bribes^(M) in secret
to pervert the course of justice.^(N)

New King James Version (NKJV)

New International Version (NIV)