Proverbs 17
1 Better is a dry morsel with joy, than a house full of victims with strife.
It is better to have quiet with a dry morsel of bread than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A wise servant shall rule over foolish sons, and shall divide the inheritance among the brethren.
A wise servant will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 As silver is tried by fire, and gold in the furnace: so the Lord trieth the hearts.
The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but Yahweh refines hearts.
4 The evil man obeyeth an unjust tongue: and the deceitful hearkeneth to lying lips.
The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 He that despiseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker; and he that rejoiceth at another man’s ruin, shall not be unpunished.
Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.
6 Children’s children are the crown of old men: and the glory of children are their fathers.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and parents bring honor to their children.
7 Eloquent words do not become a fool, nor lying lips a prince.
Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool; much less are lying lips suitable for royalty.
8 The expectation of him that expecteth, is a most acceptable jewel: whithersoever he turneth himself, he understandeth wisely.
A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 He that concealeth a transgression. seeketh friendships: he that repeateth it again, separateth friends.
Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love, but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.
10 A reproof availeth more with a wise man, than a hundred stripes with a fool.
A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding than a hundred blows go into a fool.
11 An evil man always seeketh quarrels: but a cruel angel shall be sent against him.
An evil person only seeks rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her whelps, than a fool trusting in his own folly.
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his foolishness.
13 He that rendereth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
When someone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 The beginning of quarrels is as when one letteth out water: before he suffereth reproach he forsaketh judgment.
The beginning of conflict is like one who releases water everywhere, so walk away from the dispute before it has broken out.
15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, both are abominable before God.
The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person— both are an abomination to Yahweh.
16 What doth it avail a fool to have riches, seeing he cannot buy wisdom? He that maketh his house high, seeketh a downfall: and he that refuseth to learn, shall fall into evils.
Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom, when he has no ability to learn it?
17 He that is a friend loveth at all times: and a brother is proved in distress.
A friend is loving at all times and a brother is born for times of trouble.
18 A foolish man will clap hands, when he is surety for his friend.
A man having no sense makes binding promises and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.
19 He that studieth discords, loveth quarrels: and he that exalteth his door, seeketh ruin.
Whoever loves conflict loves sin; the one who makes the threshold of his door too high causes bones to be broken.
20 He that is of a perverse heart, shall not find good: and he that perverteth his tongue, shall fall into evil.
A person who has a crooked heart finds nothing that is good; the one who has a perverse tongue falls into calamity.
21 A fool is born to his own disgrace: and even his father shall not rejoice in a fool.
Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself; and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A joyful mind maketh age flourishing: a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 The wicked man taketh gifts out of the bosom, that he may pervert the paths of judgment.
A wicked man accepts a secret bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
24 Wisdom shineth in the face of the wise: the eyes of fools are in the ends of the earth.
The one who has understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are set on the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is the anger of the father: and the sorrow of the mother that bore him.
A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to the woman who bore him.
26 It is no good thing to do hurt to the just: nor to strike the prince, who judgeth right.
Also, it is never good to punish the righteous person; neither is it good to flog noble men who have integrity.
27 He that setteth bounds to his words. is knowing and wise: and the man of understanding is of a precious spirit.
One who has knowledge uses few words and one with understanding is even-tempered.
28 Even a fool, if he will hold his peace shall be counted wise: and if he close his lips, a man of understanding.
Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent; when he keeps his mouth shut, he is considered to be intelligent.
