Proverbs 17

Chapter 17

Better is a dry morsel with joy, than a house full of victims with strife.

²A wise servant shall rule over foolish sons, and shall divide the inheritance among the brethren.

³As silver is tried by fire, and gold in the furnace: so the Lord trieth the hearts.

⁴The evil man obeyeth an unjust tongue: and the deceitful hearkeneth to lying lips.

⁵He that despiseth the poor, reproacheth his maker: and he that rejoiceth at another man’s ruin, shall not be unpunished.

⁶Children’s children are the crown of old men: and the glory of children are their fathers.

⁷Eloquent words do not become a fool, nor lying lips a prince.

⁸The expectation of him that expecteth is a most acceptable jewel: whithersoever he turneth himself, he understandeth wisely.

⁹He that concealeth a transgression, seeketh friendships: he that repeateth it again, separateth friends.

¹⁰A reproof availeth more with a wise man, than a hundred stripes with a fool.

¹¹An evil man always seeketh quarrels: but a cruel angel shall be sent against him.

¹²It is better to meet a bear robbed of her whelps, than a fool trusting in his own folly.

¹³He that rendereth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

¹⁴The beginning of quarrels is as when one letteth out water: and before he suffereth reproach, he forsaketh judgment.

¹⁵He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, both are abominable before God.

¹⁶What 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.

¹⁷He that is a friend loveth at all times: and a brother is proved in distress.

¹⁸A foolish man will clap hands, when he is surety for his friend.

¹⁹He that studieth discords, loveth quarrels: and he that exalteth his door, seeketh ruin.

²⁰He that is of a perverse heart, shall not find good: and he that perverteth his tongue, shall fall into evil.

²¹A fool is born to his own disgrace: and even his father shall not rejoice in a fool.

²²A joyful mind maketh age flourishing: a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones.

²³The wicked man taketh gifts out of the bosom, that he may pervert the paths of judgment.

²⁴Wisdom shineth in the face of the wise: the eyes of fools are in the ends of the earth.

²⁵A foolish son is the anger of the father: and the sorrow of the mother that bore him.

²⁶It is no good thing to do hurt to the just: nor to strike the prince, who judgeth right.

²⁷He that setteth bounds to his words, is knowing and wise: and the man of understanding is of a precious spirit.

²⁸Even a fool, if he will hold his peace, shall be counted wise: and if he close his lips, a man of understanding.