Proverbs 17 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 17 ▼
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1 A dry morsel with gladness is better than a house full of sacrifices along with conflict. 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 wise servant shall rule over foolish sons, and he will divide the inheritance among brothers. 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 Just as silver is tested by fire, and gold is tested in the furnace, so also does the Lord test hearts. 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 The evil obey an unjust tongue. And the false are submissive to lying lips. 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 Whoever despises the poor rebukes his Maker. And whoever rejoices in the ruin of another will not go unpunished. 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 Sons of sons are the crown of old age. And the glory of sons is their fathers. 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 Well-chosen words are not fitting for the foolish, nor are lying lips fitting for a leader. 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 The expectation of those who stand ready is a most pleasing jewel. Whichever way he turns himself, he understands prudently. 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 Whoever conceals an offense seeks friendships. Whoever repeats the words of another separates allies. 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 A correction benefits more with a wise man, than a hundred stripes with a fool. 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 The evil one continually seeks conflicts. But a cruel Angel shall be sent against him. 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 is more expedient to meet a bear robbed of her young, than the foolish trusting in his own folly. 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 Whoever repays evil for good, evil shall not withdraw 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 Whoever releases the water is the head of the conflict. And just before he suffers contempt, he abandons judgment. 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 Those who justify the impious, and those who condemn the just, both are abominable with God. 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 What does it profit the foolish to have riches, when he is not able to buy wisdom? Whoever makes his house high seeks ruin. And whoever shuns learning shall fall into evils. 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 Whoever is a friend loves at all times. And a brother is proved by distress. 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 A foolish man will clap his hands, when he makes a pledge for his friend. 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 Whoever dwells on discord loves disputes. And whoever exalts his door seeks ruin. 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 Whoever is of a perverse heart shall not find good. And whoever turns his tongue shall fall into evil. 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 A foolish one is born into his own disgrace. But his father will not rejoice in one who is senseless. 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 joyful soul makes a lifetime flourish. A gloomy spirit dries out 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 impious receives gifts from the bosom, so that he may pervert the paths of judgment. 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 Prudence shines from the face of the wise. The eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth. 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 A foolish son is the anger of the father and the grief of the mother who conceived him. 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 It is not good to inflict damage on the just, nor to strike the leader who judges uprightly. 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 Whoever moderates his words is learned and prudent. And a man of learning has a precious spirit. 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 If he would remain silent, even the foolish would be considered wise, and if he closes his lips, intelligent. 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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