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Proverbs 17
New Catholic Bible
Proverbs 17
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 17
1 It is better to have a dry crust to eat in peace
than to feast in a house that is filled with strife.
2 A wise servant will rule over an unworthy son
and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold,
but it is the Lord who tests the heart.
4 An evildoer listens eagerly to wicked lips,
and a liar pays heed to a slanderous tongue.
5 Anyone who mocks the poor insults their Creator;[a]
whoever gloats at another’s distress will not go unpunished.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their parents.
7 Fine words are not becoming to a fool,
and much less are false words to a noble.
8 A bribe is like a magic stone to one who offers it;
wherever he turns, he meets with success.[b]
9 One who forgives a misdeed fosters friendship,
but he who divulges it separates good friends.
10 A reproof makes a far greater impression upon a discerning person
than a hundred blows will upon a fool.
11 A wicked man is only interested in fomenting rebellion;
hence a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 It is better to come upon a bear robbed of her cubs
rather than confronting a fool in his folly.
13 One who returns evil for good
will forever have misfortune in his house.
14 To begin a quarrel is like unleashing a flood;
so desist before the quarreling begins.
15 Absolving the wicked and condemning the innocent
are both equally abominable to the Lord.
16 Of what advantage is money in the hands of a fool?
Can he purchase wisdom if he has no desire to learn?
17 A true friend is one at all times,
and a brother is born to render help in time of need.
18 A man without sense gives a pledge
to become surety for a neighbor.[c]
19 One who sows discord enjoys strife,
and one who constructs a high threshold invites disaster.
20 One whose heart is perverse will never prosper,
and one whose tongue is evil will come to trouble.
21 The father of a fool endures endless sorrow
and receives no joy from having begotten him.
22 A cheerful heart[d] is excellent medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23 A wicked man conceals a bribe[e] under his cloak
to divert the course of justice.
24 A discerning man sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool range to the ends of the earth.[f]
25 A foolish son causes grief to his father
and brings sorrow to the mother who bore him.
26 It is not right to fine the innocent
or to flog princes for their integrity.
27 One who uses words sparingly is truly wise;
a man of discernment keeps his tongue under control.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
if he closes his lips, he is regarded as intelligent.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:5 Anyone who mocks the poor insults their Creator: see note on Prov 14:31.
- Proverbs 17:8 Such is human behavior that bribes open doors (see v. 23; 18:16; 21:14), but both bribe-giving and bribe-taking are evil acts that corrupt the human heart and are abhorrent to the Lord (see Deut 10:17) who condemns them (see Prov 15:27; Deut 16:19; 1 Sam 12:3; Ps 26:10; Eccl 7:7; Isa 1:23; 33:15; Am 5:12; 1 Tim 6:10).
- Proverbs 17:18 See note on Prov 6:1-5.
- Proverbs 17:22 Cheerful heart: see Prov 14:30; 15:13, 30; 16:15.
- Proverbs 17:23 Bribe: see note on v. 8.
- Proverbs 17:24 The prudent look directly in front of them; fools go astray.
Proverbs 17
New International Version
Proverbs 17
New International Version
17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.(A)
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor(D) shows contempt for their Maker;(E)
whoever gloats over disaster(F) will not go unpunished.(G)
6 Children’s children(H) are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(I)
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.(J)
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(K)
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(L)
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.(M)
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(P)
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?(S)
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(T)
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.(U)
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.(V)
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes(AA) wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.(AB)
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,(AC)
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,(AD)
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.(AE)
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.(AF)
New International Version (NIV) 
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