Proverbs 17
17
1It is better to eat a dry crust of bread in peace
than to have a feast where there is quarreling.
2A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful child
and will even inherit a share of what the master leaves his children.
3A hot furnace tests silver and gold,
but the Lord tests hearts.
4Evil people listen to evil words.
Liars pay attention to cruel words.
5Whoever mistreats the poor insults their Maker;
whoever enjoys someone’s trouble will be punished.
6Old people are proud of their grandchildren,
and children are proud of their parents.
7Fools should not be proud,
and rulers should not be liars.
8Some people think they can pay others to do anything they ask.
They think it will work every time.
9Whoever forgives someone’s sin makes a friend,
but gossiping about the sin breaks up friendships.
10A wise person will learn more from a warning
than a fool will learn from a hundred lashings.
11Disobedient people look only for trouble,
so a cruel messenger will be sent against them.
12It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than to meet a fool doing foolish things.
13Whoever gives evil in return for good
will always have trouble at home.
14Starting a quarrel is like a leak in a dam,
so stop it before a fight breaks out.
15The Lord hates both of these things:
freeing the guilty and punishing the innocent.
16It won’t do a fool any good to try to buy wisdom,
because he doesn’t have the ability to be wise.
17A friend loves you all the time,
and a brother helps in time of trouble.
18It is not wise to promise
to pay what your neighbor owes.
19Whoever loves to argue loves to sin.
Whoever brags a lot is asking for trouble.
20A person with an evil heart will find no success,
and the person whose words are evil will get into trouble.
21It is sad to have a foolish child;
there is no joy in being the parent of a fool.
22A happy heart is like good medicine,
but a broken spirit drains your strength.
23When the wicked accept money to do wrong
there can be no justice.
24The person with understanding is always looking for wisdom,
but the mind of a fool wanders everywhere.
25Foolish children make their father sad
and cause their mother great sorrow.
26It is not good to punish the innocent
or to beat leaders for being honest.
27The wise say very little,
and those with understanding stay calm.
28Even fools seem to be wise if they keep quiet;
if they don’t speak, they appear to understand.
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Proverbs 17: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 17
17
1Better a bite of dry bread ⌞eaten⌟ in peace
than a family feast filled with strife.
2A wise slave will become master over a son who acts shamefully,
and he will share the inheritance with the brothers.
3The crucible is for refining silver and the smelter for gold,
but the one who purifies hearts ⌞by fire⌟ is the Lord.
4An evildoer pays attention to wicked lips.
A liar opens his ears to a slanderous tongue.
5Whoever makes fun of a poor person insults his maker.
Whoever is happy ⌞to see someone’s⌟ distress will not escape punishment.
6Grandchildren are the crown of grandparents,
and parents are the glory of their children.
The Consequences of Being a Fool
7Refined speech is not fitting for a godless fool.
How much less does lying fit a noble person!
8A bribe seems ⌞like⌟ a jewel to the one who gives it.#17:8 Or “who receives it.”
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9Whoever forgives an offense seeks love,
but whoever keeps bringing up the issue separates the closest of friends.
10A reprimand impresses a person who has understanding
more than a hundred lashes impress a fool.
11A rebel looks for nothing but evil.
Therefore, a cruel messenger will be sent ⌞to punish⌟ him.
12Better to meet a bear robbed of its cubs
than a fool ⌞carried away⌟ with his stupidity.
13Whoever pays back evil for good—
evil will never leave his home.
14Starting a quarrel is ⌞like⌟ opening a floodgate,
so stop before the argument gets out of control.
15Whoever approves of wicked people
and whoever condemns righteous people
is disgusting to the Lord.
16Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom
when he doesn’t have a mind to grasp anything?
17A friend always loves,
and a brother is born to share trouble.
18A person without good sense closes a deal with a handshake.
He guarantees a loan in the presence of his friend.
19Whoever loves sin loves a quarrel.
Whoever builds his city gate high invites destruction.
20A twisted mind never finds happiness,
and one with a devious tongue ⌞repeatedly⌟ gets into trouble.
21The parent of a fool has grief,
and the father of a godless fool has no joy.
22A joyful heart is good medicine,
but depression drains one’s strength.
23A wicked person secretly accepts a bribe to corrupt the ways of justice.
24Wisdom is directly in front of an understanding person,
but the eyes of a fool ⌞are looking around⌟ all over the world.
How Fools Live
25A foolish son is a heartache to his father
and bitter grief to his mother.
26To punish an innocent person is not good.
To strike down noble people is not right.
27Whoever has knowledge controls his words,
and a person who has understanding is even-tempered.
28Even a stubborn fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent.
He is considered intelligent if he keeps his lips sealed.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.