Proverbs 17
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Holman Christian Standard BibleNew International Version
1Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife. 1Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
2A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share an inheritance among brothers. 2A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
3A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold, and the LORD is the tester of hearts. 3The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
4A wicked person listens to malicious talk; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. 4A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker, and one who rejoices over calamity will not go unpunished. 5Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
6Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly, and the pride of sons is their fathers. 6Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.
7Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool's lips; how much worse are lies for a ruler. 7Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool-- how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
8A bribe seems like a magic stone to its owner; wherever he turns, he succeeds. 8A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn.
9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends. 9Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
10A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person more than a hundred lashes into a fool. 10A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him. 11Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12Better for a man to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his foolishness. 12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.
13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never depart from his house. 13Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.
14To start a conflict is to release a flood; stop the dispute before it breaks out. 14Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just-- both are detestable to the LORD. 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent-- the LORD detests them both.
16Why does a fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom? 16Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?
17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time. 17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
18One without sense enters an agreement and puts up security for his friend. 18One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.
19One who loves to offend loves strife; one who builds a high threshold invites injury. 19Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20One with a twisted mind will not succeed, and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin. 20One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow; the father of a fool has no joy. 21To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. 22A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23A wicked man secretly takes a bribe to subvert the course of justice. 23The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.
24Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive, but a fool's eyes roam to the ends of the earth. 24A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25A foolish son is grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him. 25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
26It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person or to beat a noble for his honesty. 26If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27The intelligent person restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding. 27The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
28Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent, discerning when he seals his lips. 28Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.New International Version (NIV)

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Proverbs 16
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