Proverbs 17

¹Better is a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.

²A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.

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

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

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

⁶Sons’ sons are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons are their fathers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

²⁰The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.

²¹Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.

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

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

²⁴The face of the intelligent is to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool—at the end of the earth.

²⁵A provocation to his father is a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.

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

²⁷One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper is a man of understanding. ²⁸Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!

Chapter 18