Proverbs 17

^aBetter is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith,

Than a house full of sacrifices with strife.

²A wise servant shall have rule over ^ba son that causeth shame,

And shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

^3cThe fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold:

But the Lord ^dtrieth the hearts.

⁴A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips;

And a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

⁵Whoso mocketh the poor ^ereproacheth ^ehis Maker:

And ^fhe that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

^6gChildren’s children are ^hthe crown of old men;

And ⁱthe glory of children are their fathers.

⁷Excellent speech ^kbecometh not a fool:

Much less do lying lips a prince.

^8lA gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of ^mhim that hath it:

Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

⁹ⁿHe that covereth a transgression seeketh love;

But he that repeateth a matter ^oseparateth very friends.

¹⁰A reproof ^qentereth more into a wise man

Than an hundred stripes into a fool.

¹¹An evil man seeketh only rebellion:

Therefore a ^rcruel messenger ^sshall be sent against him.

^12tLet a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man,

^ttRather than a fool in his folly.

^13uWhoso rewardeth ^xevil for good,

Evil shall not depart from his house.

¹⁴The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water:

Therefore ^yleave off contention, before it ^zbe meddled with.

¹⁵He that ^ajustifieth the wicked, and he that ^bcondemneth the just,

Even they both are abomination to the Lord.

¹⁶Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool

To ^cget wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

^17dA friend loveth at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity.

¹⁸A man void of understanding ^estriketh hands,

And ^ebecometh surety in the presence of his friend.

¹⁹He loveth transgression that loveth strife:

And ^fhe that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

²⁰He that hath a froward heart findeth no good:

And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

^21gHe that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow:

And the father of a fool hath no joy.

^22hA merry heart doeth good like a medicine:

But a ^hbroken spirit ⁱdrieth the bones.

²³A wicked man taketh a gift out of the ^kbosom

^lTo pervert the ways of judgment.

^24mWisdom is ⁿbefore him that hath understanding;

But ⁿthe eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

^25gA foolish son is a grief to his father,

And bitterness to ⁿⁿher that bare him.

²⁶Also ^bto ^opunish the just is not good,

Nor to strike princes for equity.

²⁷He that hath knowledge ^oospareth his words:

And a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

²⁸Even a fool, ^pwhen he holdeth his peace, is counted wise:

And he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

XVIII.