Proverbs 17

1#Pr 15:17 Better is a dry morsel with quietness

than a house full of sacrifices with strife.

2#Pr 10:5; 19:26 A wise servant will have rule over a son who causes shame,

and will have part of the inheritance among the brothers.

3#Ps 26:2; Pr 27:21 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,

but the Lord tries the hearts.

4A wicked doer gives heed to false lips,

and a liar gives ear to a wayward tongue.

5#Job 31:29; Pr 14:31 Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker,

and he who is glad at calamities will not be unpunished.

6Grandchildren are the crown of old men,

and the glory of children are their fathers.

7Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,

much less lying lips to a prince.

8#Ex 23:8; Pr 17:23 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him who has it;

wherever he turns, it prospers.

9#Pr 10:12; 16:28 He who covers a transgression seeks love,

but he who repeats a matter separates friends.

10A reproof enters deeper into a wise man

than a hundred stripes into a fool.

11An evil man seeks only rebellion;

therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12#2Sa 17:8; Hos 13:8 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs

rather than a fool in his folly.

13#Ps 35:12 Whoever rewards evil for good,

evil will not depart from his house.

14#Pr 20:3; 25:8 The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water;

therefore abandon contention before a quarrel starts.

15#Ex 23:7; Isa 5:23 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,

both of them are abomination to the Lord.

16#Pr 23:23 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom,

seeing he has no heart for it?

17#Pr 18:24; Ru 1:16 A friend loves at all times,

and a brother is born for adversity.

18#Pr 11:15; 6:1–5 A man void of understanding shakes hands,

and becomes a pledge in the presence of his friend.

19#Pr 16:18 He loves transgression who loves strife,

and he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.

20He who has a deceitful heart finds no good,

and he who has a perverse tongue falls into mischief.

21#Pr 10:1; 19:13 He who fathers a fool does it to his sorrow,

and the father of a fool has no joy.

22#Pr 15:13; Ps 22:15; Pr 12:25 A merry heart does good like a medicine,

but a broken spirit dries the bones.

23#Ex 23:8; Pr 17:8 A wicked man takes a bribe out of a hidden place

to pervert the ways of judgment.

24#Ecc 2:14; Pr 14:6 Wisdom is before him who has understanding,

but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

25#Pr 10:1; 19:13 A foolish son is a grief to his father,

and bitterness to her who bore him.

26#Pr 17:15; 18:5 Also to punish the just is not good,

nor to strike princes for their uprightness.

27#Jas 1:19; Pr 10:19 He who has knowledge spares his words,

and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

28#Job 13:5 Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise;

and he who shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

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Proverbs 17: MEV

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Proverbs 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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