17:1 Better is a dry crust of bread 1 where there is quietness 2
than a house full of feasting with strife. 3
17:1 Better is a dry crust of bread 4 where there is quietness 5
than a house full of feasting with strife. 6
17:2 A servant who acts wisely 7 will rule
over 8 an heir 9 who behaves shamefully, 10
and will share the inheritance along with the relatives. 11
17:3 The crucible 12 is for refining 13 silver and the furnace 14 is for gold,
likewise 15 the Lord tests 16 hearts.
17:4 One who acts wickedly 17 pays attention to evil counsel; 18
a liar listens 19 to a malicious tongue. 20
17:5 The one who mocks the poor 21 insults 22 his Creator;
whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished.
17:6 Grandchildren 23 are like 24 a crown 25 to the elderly,
and the glory 26 of children is their parents. 27
17:7 Excessive 28 speech 29 is not becoming for a fool; 30
how much less are lies 31 for a ruler! 32
17:8 A bribe works like 33 a charm 34 for the one who offers it; 35
in whatever he does 36 he succeeds. 37
17:9 The one who forgives 38 an offense seeks 39 love,
but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends. 40
17:10 A rebuke makes a greater impression on 41 a discerning person
than a hundred blows on a fool. 42
17:11 An evil person seeks only rebellion, 43
and so 44 a cruel messenger 45 will be sent against him.
17:12 It is better for a person to meet 46 a mother bear being robbed of her cubs,
than 47 to encounter 48 a fool in his folly. 49
17:13 As for the one who repays 50 evil for good,
evil will not leave 51 his house. 52
17:14 Starting a quarrel 53 is like letting out water; 54
stop it before strife breaks out! 55
17:15 The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent 56 –
both of them are an abomination to the Lord. 57
17:16 Of what 58 use is money in the hand of a fool, 59
since he has no intention 60 of acquiring wisdom? 61
17:17 A friend 62 loves at all times,
and a relative 63 is born to help in adversity. 64
17:18 The one who lacks wisdom 65 strikes hands in pledge, 66
and puts up financial security 67 for his neighbor. 68
17:19 The one who loves a quarrel loves transgression; 69
whoever builds his gate high seeks destruction. 70
17:20 The one who has a perverse heart 71 does not find good, 72
and the one who is deceitful in speech 73 falls into trouble.
17:21 Whoever brings a fool 74 into the world 75 does so 76 to his grief,
and the father of a fool has no joy. 77
17:22 A cheerful heart 78 brings good healing, 79
but a crushed spirit 80 dries up the bones. 81
17:23 A wicked person receives a bribe secretly 82
to pervert 83 the ways of justice.
17:24 Wisdom is directly in front of 84 the discerning person,
but the eyes of a fool run 85 to the ends of the earth. 86
17:25 A foolish child is a grief 87 to his father,
and bitterness to the mother who bore him. 88
17:26 It is terrible 89 to punish 90 a righteous person,
and to flog 91 honorable men is wrong. 92
17:27 The truly wise person 93 restrains 94 his words,
and the one who stays calm 95 is discerning.
17:28 Even a fool who remains silent is considered 96 wise,
and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning. 97