Proverbs 17 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 17 ▼
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BISHOPS
Bishops' Bible of 1568
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
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1 Better is a drye morsell with quietnesse, then a house full of fat offeryng with strife. Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife. Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
2 A discrete seruaunt shall haue rule ouer a lewde sonne, and shal haue heritage with the brethren. A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers. A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
3 As siluer is tryed in the fire, and golde in the furnace: so doth the Lorde proue the heartes. The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts. The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
4 A wicked body geueth heede to false lippes, and a lyer geueth eare to a deceiptfull tongue. An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue. A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Who so scorneth the poore, blasphemeth his maker: and he that is glad at another mans hurt, shall not be vnpunished. Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished. Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
6 Childers children are a crowne of the aged, and the fathers are the honour of the children. Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Speache of aucthoritie becommeth not a foole, much lesse a lying mouth then beseemeth a prince. Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince. Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
8 A gyft is as a precious stone vnto hym that hath it: but vnto whom soeuer it turneth, it maketh hym vnwise. A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers. A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn.
9 Who so couereth a fault, procureth loue: but he that discloseth it, deuideth very frendes. Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends. Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
10 One reproofe more feareth a wise man, then an hundred stripes doth a foole. A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 A seditious person seketh mischiefe, and a cruell messenger shalbe sent agaynst hym. An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 It were better to meete a shee beare robbed of her whelpes, then a foole trusting in his foolishnesse. Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly. Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.
13 Who so rewardeth euill for good, euil shall not depart from his house. If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house. Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.
14 The beginning of strife is, as when a man maketh an issue for water: therfore leaue of before the contention be medled with. The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out. Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
15 The Lorde hateth as well hym that iustifieth the vngodly, as him that condempneth the innocent. He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD. Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.
16 Whereto hath a foole treasure in his hande to bye wisdome, seeing he hath no minde therto? Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense? Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?
17 He is a frende that alway loueth, and in aduersitie a man shall knowe who is his brother. A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
18 Who so promiseth by the hande and is suretie for his neighbour, he is a foole. One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor. One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.
19 He that delighteth in sinne, loueth strife: and who so setteth his doore to hye, seeketh destruction. Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction. Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 Who so hath a frowarde heart, obteyneth no good: and he that hath a double tongue, shall fall into mischiefe. A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity. One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 He that begetteth a foole, begetteth his sorowe: and the father of a foole can haue no ioy. He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy. To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
22 A mery heart make a lustie age: but a sorowfull minde dryeth vp the bones. A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23 The vngodly taketh gyftes out of the bosome, to wrest the wayes of iudgement. The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice. The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.
24 Wisdome shineth in the face of hym that hath vnderstanding: but the eyes of fooles wander throughout al landes. The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25 An vndiscrete sonne is a griefe vnto his father: and an heauinesse vnto his mother. A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
26 Certaynely to condempne the iust is not good: nor to strike the gouernours whiche iudge rightly. To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness. If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 A wyse man vseth fewe wordes, and a man of vnderstanding is of a pacient spirite. Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
28 Yea, a very foole when he holdeth his tongue is counted wise: and he that stoppeth his lippes is esteemed prudent. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
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