Proverbs 17

1 Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of 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 ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.

A wise servant will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

3 A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] Jehovah.

The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but Yahweh refines hearts.

4 An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.

The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.

5 Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.

Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.

6 Sons' sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and parents bring honor to their children.

7 Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.

Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool; much less are lying lips suitable for royalty.

8 A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.

9 Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.

Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love, but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.

10 Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.

A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding than a hundred blows go into a fool.

11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.

An evil person only seeks rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12 The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And — not a fool in his folly.

It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his foolishness.

13 Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.

When someone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.

14 The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.

The beginning of conflict is like one who releases water everywhere, so walk away from the dispute before it has broken out.

15 Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to Jehovah.

The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person— both are an abomination to Yahweh.

16 Why [is] this — a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?

Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom, when he has no ability to learn it?

17 At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.

A friend is loving at all times and a brother is born for times of trouble.

18 A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.

A man having no sense makes binding promises and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.

19 Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.

Whoever loves conflict loves sin; the one who makes the threshold of his door too high causes bones to be broken.

20 The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth 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 Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.

Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself; and the father of a fool has no joy.

22 A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

23 A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.

A wicked man accepts a secret bribe to pervert the ways of justice.

24 The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool — at the end 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 provocation to his father [is] a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.

A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to the woman who bore him.

26 Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.

Also, it is never good to punish the righteous person; neither is it good to flog noble men who have integrity.

27 One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.

One who has knowledge uses few words and one with understanding is even-tempered.

28 Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!

Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent; when he keeps his mouth shut, he is considered to be intelligent.