Proverbs 17

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

²⁷ One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.

²⁸ Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!