Proverbs 17:1–28

¹Better is a dry piece of bread with which there is quietness than a house full of the sacrifices of quarreling.

²A servant that is showing insight will rule over the son who is acting shamefully, and in among the brothers he will have a share of the inheritance.

³The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but Jehovah is the examiner of hearts.

⁴The evildoer is paying attention to the lip of hurtfulness. A falsifier is giving ear to the tongue causing adversities.

⁵He that is holding the one of little means in derision has reproached his Maker. He that is joyful at [another’s] disaster will not be free from punishment.

⁶The crown of old men is the grandsons, and the beauty of sons is their fathers.

⁷For anyone senseless the lip of uprightness is not fitting. How much less so for a noble the lip of falsehood!

⁸The gift is a stone winning favor in the eyes of its grand owner. Everywhere that he turns he has success.

⁹The one covering over transgression is seeking love, and he that keeps talking about a matter is separating those familiar with one another.

¹⁰A rebuke works deeper in one having understanding than striking a stupid one a hundred times.

¹¹Only rebellion is what the bad one keeps seeking, and cruel is the messenger that is sent against him.

¹²Let there be an encountering by a man of a bear bereaved of its cubs rather than anyone stupid in his foolishness.

¹³As for anyone repaying bad for good, bad will not move away from his house.

¹⁴The beginning of contention is as one letting out waters; so before the quarrel has burst forth, take your leave.

¹⁵Anyone pronouncing the wicked one righteous and anyone pronouncing the righteous one wicked—even both of them are something detestable to Jehovah.

¹⁶Why is it that there is in the hand of a stupid one the price to acquire wisdom, when he has no heart?

¹⁷A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress.

¹⁸A man that is wanting in heart shakes hands, going full surety before his companion.

¹⁹Anyone loving transgression is loving a struggle. Anyone making his entryway high is seeking a crash.

²⁰He that is crooked at heart will not find good, and he that is turned around in his tongue will fall into calamity.

²¹Anyone becoming father to a stupid child—it is a grief to him; and the father of a senseless child does not rejoice.

²²A heart that is joyful does good as a curer, but a spirit that is stricken makes the bones dry.

²³One who is wicked will take even a bribe from the bosom to bend the paths of judgment.

²⁴Wisdom is before the face of the understanding one, but the eyes of the stupid one are at the extremity of the earth.

²⁵A stupid son is a vexation to his father and a bitterness to her that gave him birth.

²⁶Furthermore, the laying of a fine upon the righteous one is not good. To strike nobles is against what is upright.

²⁷Anyone holding back his sayings is possessed of knowledge, and a man of discernment is cool of spirit.

²⁸Even anyone foolish, when keeping silent, will be regarded as wise; anyone closing up his own lips, as having understanding.