Proverbs 17
Names of God Bible
17 Better a bite of dry bread eaten in peace
than a family feast filled with strife.
2 A wise slave will become master over a son who acts shamefully,
and he will share the inheritance with the brothers.
3 The crucible is for refining silver and the smelter for gold,
but the one who purifies hearts by fire is Yahweh.
4 An evildoer pays attention to wicked lips.
A liar opens his ears to a slanderous tongue.
5 Whoever makes fun of a poor person insults his maker.
Whoever is happy to see someone’s distress will not escape punishment.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of grandparents,
and parents are the glory of their children.
The Consequences of Being a Fool
7 Refined speech is not fitting for a godless fool.
How much less does lying fit a noble person!
8 A bribe seems like a jewel to the one who gives it.[a]
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9 Whoever forgives an offense seeks love,
but whoever keeps bringing up the issue separates the closest of friends.
10 A reprimand impresses a person who has understanding
more than a hundred lashes impress a fool.
11 A rebel looks for nothing but evil.
Therefore, a cruel messenger will be sent to punish him.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of its cubs
than a fool carried away with his stupidity.
13 Whoever pays back evil for good—
evil will never leave his home.
14 Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate,
so stop before the argument gets out of control.
15 Whoever approves of wicked people
and whoever condemns righteous people
is disgusting to Yahweh.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom
when he doesn’t have a mind to grasp anything?
17 A friend always loves,
and a brother is born to share trouble.
18 A person without good sense closes a deal with a handshake.
He guarantees a loan in the presence of his friend.
19 Whoever loves sin loves a quarrel.
Whoever builds his city gate high invites destruction.
20 A twisted mind never finds happiness,
and one with a devious tongue repeatedly gets into trouble.
21 The parent of a fool has grief,
and the father of a godless fool has no joy.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine,
but depression drains one’s strength.
23 A wicked person secretly accepts a bribe to corrupt the ways of justice.
24 Wisdom is directly in front of an understanding person,
but the eyes of a fool are looking around all over the world.
How Fools Live
25 A foolish son is a heartache to his father
and bitter grief to his mother.
26 To punish an innocent person is not good.
To strike down noble people is not right.
27 Whoever has knowledge controls his words,
and a person who has understanding is even-tempered.
28 Even a stubborn fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent.
He is considered intelligent if he keeps his lips sealed.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:8 Or “who receives it.”
Proverbs 17
King James Version
17 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.
4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
10 A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.
16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?
17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.
26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.