Proverbios 17
1 MEJOR es un bocado seco, y en paz, que la casa de contienda llena de víctimas.
It is better [to eat] a dry piece [of bread] and not have strife/quarrels than to have a big feast in a house where [everyone] is quarreling.
2 El siervo prudente se enseñoreará del hijo que deshonra, y entre los hermanos partirá la herencia.
A slave who acts wisely will [some day] be the boss of his master’s disgraceful son and when his master dies, the slave will receive part of his master’s possessions.
3 El crisol para la plata, y la hornaza para el oro: mas Jehová prueba los corazones.
[Workers put] silver and gold in a very hot furnace [to burn out what is impure], and Yahweh [similarly] examines people’s inner beings [to see if they are pure].
4 El malo está atento al labio inicuo; [y] el mentiroso escucha á la lengua detractora.
Those who do what is evil pay attention to people who say [MTY] what is evil, and liars pay attention to [other people’s] lies.
5 El que escarnece al pobre, afrenta á su Hacedor: y el que se alegra en la calamidad, no quedará sin castigo.
Those who make fun of poor [people] insult God, the one who made the poor [people], [and] those who are happy when [someone else has] troubles will certainly be punished [LIT] [by God].
6 Corona de los viejos son los hijos de los hijos; y la honra de los hijos, sus padres.
Old [people] are [usually] proud of [MET] their grandchildren, [just like] children are [usually] proud of their parents.
7 No conviene al necio la altilocuencia: ¡cuánto menos al príncipe el labio mentiroso!
Fine/Eloquent speech is not suitable for foolish people to say, just like lies are not suitable for rulers [to say].
8 Piedra preciosa es el cohecho en ojos de sus dueños: á donde quiera que se vuelve, da prosperidad.
People think that a bribe is like a magic stone [to persuade someone to do what they want him to do]; they think that because of the bribe, that person will do whatever they want him to do.
9 El que cubre la prevaricación, busca amistad: mas el que reitera la palabra, aparta al amigo.
If you want people to like/love you, forgive them for the wrong things that they do to you. If you continue to remind them about those wrong things, they will no longer be your friends.
10 Aprovecha la reprensión en el entendido, más que si cien veces hiriese en el necio.
Rebuking people who have good sense will accomplish more for them than hitting them 100 times [with a stick].
11 El rebelde no busca sino mal; y mensajero cruel será contra él enviado.
[Because] wicked people are always trying to cause trouble, someone will be sent to severely punish them.
12 Mejor es se encuentre un hombre con una osa á la cual han robado sus cachorros, que con un fatuo en su necedad.
A mother bear whose cubs have been taken away from her is dangerous, but it is more dangerous to confront a foolish person who is doing something foolish.
13 El que da mal por bien, no se apartará el mal de su casa.
If someone does something evil in return for something good being done to him, evil/trouble will never leave that person’s family.
14 El que comienza la pendencia es [como] quien suelta las aguas: deja pues la porfía, antes que se enmarañe.
Starting a quarrel is like allowing water to start to leak out of a dam; they both need to be stopped before they get worse.
15 El que justifica al impío, y el que condena al justo, ambos á dos son abominación á Jehová.
There are two things that Yahweh hates: (Condemning innocent [people]/Saying that people who have done nothing wrong must be punished), and declaring that people who have done wicked things should not be punished.
16 ¿De qué sirve el precio en la mano del necio para comprar sabiduría, no teniendo entendimiento?
It is useless to allow foolish people [RHQ] to try to become wise by paying for it, because they do not have enough good sense to become wise.
17 En todo tiempo ama el amigo; y el hermano para la angustia es nacido.
Friends love [others] all the time, and relatives are able to help us when we have troubles.
18 El hombre falto de entendimiento toca la mano, fiando á otro delante de su amigo.
[If someone borrows money from another person], it is foolish for you to promise [IDM] that you will pay the money back if that other person is unable to pay back the money that he borrowed.
19 La prevaricación ama el que ama pleito; y el que alza su portada, quebrantamiento busca.
Those who like to sin [also] like to cause strife/trouble; [and] those who build fancy doors in their houses [to show that they are very wealthy] (OR, speak proudly) are inviting disaster.
20 El perverso de corazón nunca hallará bien: y el que revuelve con su lengua, caerá en mal.
Those who (have perverse minds/are always thinking about doing evil things) will not prosper, and disasters will happen to those who always tell lies.
21 El que engendra al necio, para su tristeza [lo engendra]: y el padre del fatuo no se alegrará.
Children who are foolish [soon] cause their parents to be very sad; their parents will not be joyful at all.
22 El corazón alegre produce buena disposición: mas el espíritu triste seca los huesos.
Being cheerful is [like swallowing] good medicine; being discouraged/gloomy [all the time will] (drain away your energy/cause you to become weak) [MTY].
23 El impío toma dádiva del seno, para pervertir las sendas del derecho.
Wicked people/judges accept bribes that are given to them secretly, and as a result they do not decide matters justly/fairly.
24 En el rostro del entendido [aparece] la sabiduría: mas los ojos del necio [vagan] hasta el cabo de la tierra.
Those who have good sense determine to do what is wise, but foolish people are always thinking about many different things [and never decide what they should do].
25 El hijo necio es enojo á su padre, y amargura á la que lo engendró.
Children who are foolish cause their father to be sad and [also] cause their mother to be very sorrowful.
26 Ciertamente no es bueno condenar al justo, ni herir á los príncipes que hacen lo recto.
It is not right to force someone who has done nothing wrong to pay a fine; it is wrong to punish good/respected people.
27 Detiene sus dichos el que tiene sabiduría: de prudente espíritu es el hombre entendido.
Those who have good sense do not talk a lot, and those who (control their tempers/keep themselves from becoming very angry) are [truly] wise.
28 Aun el necio cuando calla, es contado por sabio: el que cierra sus labios es entendido.
People [may] think that foolish people who do not say anything are wise; if foolish people (do not say anything/keep their mouths shut), others will think that they are [very] intelligent.
