Proverbs 17 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 17 ▼
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1 Better a dry crust with quiet 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 will rule over an unworthy son, and will share the inheritance of the children. 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 crucible for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the tester of hearts is the LORD. 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 evildoer gives heed to wicked lips, the liar, to a mischievous 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 Whoever mocks the poor reviles their Maker; whoever rejoices in their misfortune 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 Children’s children are the crown of the elderly, and the glory of children is their parentage. 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 Fine words ill fit a fool; how much more lying lips, a noble! 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 bribe seems a charm to its user; at every turn it brings success. 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 overlooks an offense fosters friendship, but whoever gossips about it separates friends. 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 single reprimand does more for a discerning person than a hundred lashes for 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 wicked pursue only rebellion, and a merciless messenger is sent against them. 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 Face a bear robbed of her cubs, but never fools in their 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 If you return evil for good, evil will not depart from your 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 start of strife is like the opening of a dam; check a quarrel before it bursts forth! 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 Whoever acquits the wicked, whoever condemns the just— both are an abomination to 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 Of what use is money in the hands of fools when they have no heart 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 is a friend at all times, and a brother is born for the time of 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 Those without sense give their hands in pledge, becoming surety for their neighbors. 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 Those who love an offense love a fight; those who build their gate high court disaster. 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 The perverse in heart come to no good, and the double-tongued fall into trouble. 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 Whoever conceives a fool has grief; the father of a numskull has no joy. 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 heart is the health of the body, but a depressed 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 A guilty person takes out a bribe from the pocket, thus perverting the course 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 On the countenance of a discerning person is wisdom, but the eyes of a fool 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 vexation to his father, and bitter sorrow 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 It is wrong to fine an innocent person, but beyond reason to scourge nobles. 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 Those who spare their words are truly knowledgeable, and those who are discreet are intelligent. 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 fools, keeping silent, are considered wise; if they keep their lips closed, 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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