Proverbs 17 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 17 ▼
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1 BETTER is dry bread, and quietness with it, than a house full of feasting 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 wise servant shall rule over a son who causes shame, and shall share the inheritance among the 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 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold; but the LORD tries the heart. 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 man listens to perverse lips; but a righteous man does not heed the tongues of vicious men. 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 He who mocks the poor provokes his Maker; and he who is glad at calamity shall not be forgiven. 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 Children's children are the crowns of old men; and the glory of children 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 Excellent speech is unbecoming to a fool, and lying lips to a righteous man. 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 precious stone is beautiful in the eyes of him who has it; wherever it turns it is admired. 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 He who forgets an offense seeks friendship; but he who hates to forget an offense estranges himself from a friend and neighbor. 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 threat breaks the heart of a wise man; but the fool instead of a rebuke receives a scourging, and yet he is not conscious of it. 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 quarrelsome man seeks mischief; therefore a cruel messenger 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 Meditation and reverence are suitable for a wise man; but a fool meditates in his 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 He who rewards evil for good, evil 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 He who sheds blood stirs up judgment before the ruler. 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 He who justifies the wicked and condemns the just is an abomination before the LORD. 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 good is wealth in the possession of a fool who has no desire to acquire wisdom? 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 A friend loves at all times; but a brother is born for adversity. 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 pledges himself, for he becomes surety 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 He who loves iniquity loves deceit and strife; and he who exalts himself seeks 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 He who slanders in heart will not find good; and he who has an evil tongue falls into mischief. 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 who begets a fool does it to his own shame; his father will have no joy in him. 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 merry heart makes the body healthy; but a broken spirit dries up 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 He who accepts a bribe is wicked; for he perverts the way of justice. 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 The face of a man of understanding is set toward wisdom; but the eyes of a fool are in the depths 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 provokes his father, and is bitterness to her who bore 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 To punish the just is not good, nor to scourge the righteous men who speak the truth. 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 He who spares his words has knowledge; and he who is patient is a wise man. 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 Even a fool when he holds his peace is considered wise; and he who shuts his lips is counted a man of understanding. 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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