17 (A)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting[a] with strife.
A servant who deals wisely will rule over (B)a son who acts shamefully
    and (C)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
(D)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    (E)and the Lord tests hearts.
An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
Whoever mocks the poor (F)insults his Maker;
    he who is (G)glad at calamity will not go (H)unpunished.
(I)Grandchildren are (J)the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
Fine speech is not (K)becoming to a fool;
    still less is (L)false speech to a prince.
(M)A bribe is like a magic[b] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
Whoever (N)covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter (O)separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and (P)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet (Q)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    (R)rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone (S)returns evil for good,
    (T)evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so (U)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He who (V)justifies the wicked and he who (W)condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand (X)to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
17 (Y)A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge
    and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who (Z)makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 (AA)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21 He who (AB)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 (AC)A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit (AD)dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accepts (AE)a bribe in secret[c]
    to (AF)pervert the ways of justice.
24 (AG)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 (AH)A foolish son is a grief to his father
    (AI)and bitterness to (AJ)her who bore him.
26 (AK)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 Whoever (AL)restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool (AM)who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:1 Hebrew sacrifices
  2. Proverbs 17:8 Or precious
  3. Proverbs 17:23 Hebrew a bribe from the bosom

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

17 Better is a dry morsel [of food served] with quietness and peace
Than a house full of feasting [served] with strife and contention.

A wise servant will rule over the [unworthy] son who acts shamefully and brings disgrace [to the family]
And [the worthy servant] will share in the inheritance among the brothers.

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the Lord tests hearts.(A)

An evildoer listens closely to wicked lips;
And a liar pays attention to a destructive and malicious tongue.

Whoever mocks the poor taunts his Maker,
And he who rejoices at [another’s] disaster will not go unpunished.(B)

Grandchildren are the crown of aged men,
And the glory of children is their fathers [who live godly lives].(C)

Excellent speech does not benefit a fool [who is spiritually blind],
Much less do lying lips benefit a prince.

A bribe is like a bright, precious stone in the eyes of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.

He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love,
But he who repeats or gossips about a matter separates intimate friends.
10 
A reprimand goes deeper into one who has understanding and a teachable spirit
Than a hundred lashes into a fool.(D)
11 
A rebellious man seeks only evil;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 
Let a man meet a [ferocious] bear robbed of her cubs
Rather than the [angry, narcissistic] fool in his folly.(E)
13 
Whoever returns evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.(F)
14 
The beginning of strife is like letting out water [as from a small break in a dam; first it trickles and then it gushes];
Therefore [a]abandon the quarrel before it breaks out and tempers explode.
15 
He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous
Are both repulsive to the Lord.(G)
16 
Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
When he has no common sense or even a heart for it?
17 
A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
18 
A man lacking common sense gives a pledge
And becomes guarantor [for the debt of another] in the presence of his neighbor.
19 
He who loves transgression loves strife and is quarrelsome;
He who [proudly] raises his gate seeks destruction [because of his arrogant pride].
20 
He who has a crooked mind finds no good,
And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.(H)
21 
He who becomes the parent of a fool [who is spiritually blind] does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool [who is spiritually blind] has no joy.
22 
A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing,
But a broken spirit dries up the bones.(I)
23 
A wicked man receives a bribe from the [hidden] pocket
To pervert the ways of justice.
24 
[Skillful and godly] wisdom is in the presence of a person of understanding [and he recognizes it],
But the eyes of a [thickheaded] fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 
A foolish son is a grief and anguish to his father
And bitterness to her who gave birth to him.
26 
It is also not good to fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 
He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words,
And a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, an even temper).(J)
28 
Even a [callous, arrogant] fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips he is regarded as sensible (prudent, discreet) and a man of understanding.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:14 The ancient rabbis derived from this statement the principle of seeking a settlement before a case comes to court (cf Matt 5:25; Luke 12:58).

17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
    than a house full of feasting, with strife.(A)

A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
    and will share the inheritance as one of the family.

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,(B)
    but the Lord tests the heart.(C)

A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
    a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

Whoever mocks the poor(D) shows contempt for their Maker;(E)
    whoever gloats over disaster(F) will not go unpunished.(G)

Children’s children(H) are a crown to the aged,
    and parents are the pride of their children.

Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
    how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(I)

A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
    they think success will come at every turn.(J)

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)

13 Evil will never leave the house
    of one who pays back evil(N) for good.(O)

14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
    so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(P)

15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent(Q)
    the Lord detests them both.(R)

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)

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed(W) spirit dries up the bones.(X)

23 The wicked accept bribes(Y) in secret
    to pervert the course of justice.(Z)

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)