Mishlei (Pro) 17
17
1Better a dry piece of bread with calm
than a house full of food but also full of strife.
2An intelligent slave will rule a shameful son
and share the inheritance with the brothers.
3The crucible [tests] silver, and the furnace [tests] gold,
but the one who tests hearts is Adonai.
4An evildoer heeds wicked lips;
a liar listens to destructive talk.
5He who mocks the poor insults his maker;
he who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.
6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
while the glory of children is their ancestors.
7Fine speech is unbecoming to a boor,
and even less lying lips to a leader.
8A bribe works like a charm, in the view of him who gives it —
wherever it turns, it succeeds.
9He who conceals an offense promotes love,
but he who harps on it can separate even close friends.
10A rebuke makes more impression on a person of understanding
than a hundred blows on a fool.
11An evil person seeks only rebellion,
but a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12Rather meet a bear robbed of its cubs
than encounter a fool in his folly.
13Evil will not depart from the house
of him who returns evil for good.
14Starting a fight is like letting water through [a dike] —
better stop the quarrel before it gets worse.
15He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous —
both alike are an abomination to Adonai.
16Why would a fool wish to pay for wisdom
when he has no desire to learn?
17A friend shows his friendship at all times —
it is for adversity that [such] a brother is born.
18He who gives his hand to guarantee a loan
for his neighbor lacks good sense.
19Those who love quarreling love giving offense;
those who make their gates tall are courting disaster.
20A crooked-hearted person will find nothing good,
and the perverse of speech will end in calamity.
21He who fathers a fool does so to his sorrow,
and the father of a boor has no joy.
22A happy heart is good medicine,
but low spirits sap one’s strength.
23From under a cloak a bad man takes a bribe
to pervert the course of justice.
24The discerning person focuses on wisdom there before him,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25A son who is a fool means anger for his father
and bitterness for the mother who gave him birth.
26To punish the innocent is not right,
likewise to flog noble people for their uprightness.
27A knowledgeable person controls his tongue;
a discerning person controls his temper.
28Even a fool, if he stays silent, is thought wise;
he who keeps his mouth shut can pass for smart.
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Mishlei (Pro) 17: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish BibleProverbs 17
17
1 # ch. 15:17 Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting#17:1 Hebrew sacrifices with strife.
2A servant who deals wisely will rule over #ver. 21, 25; ch. 10:5; 19:26 a son who acts shamefully
and #[2 Sam. 16:4]will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 # ch. 27:21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
#
1 Chr. 29:17; Ps. 26:2; Jer. 17:10; Mal. 3:3 and the Lord tests hearts.
4An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5Whoever mocks the poor #ch. 14:31; [Matt. 25:40, 45] insults his Maker;
he who is #Job 31:29; Obad. 12; [ch. 24:17] glad at calamity will not go #ch. 16:5unpunished.
6 #
Ps. 128:6; [Ps. 127:3, 4] Grandchildren are #ch. 16:31the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
7Fine speech is not #[ch. 19:10; 26:1] becoming to a fool;
still less is #ch. 6:17false speech to a prince.
8 # ver. 23; ch. 18:16; 19:6; 21:14; [Ex. 23:8; Isa. 1:23; Amos 5:12] A bribe is like a magic#17:8 Or precious stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
9Whoever #ch. 10:12 covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter #ch. 16:28separates close friends.
10A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and #[1 Kgs. 2:29]a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12Let a man meet #2 Sam. 17:8; Hos. 13:8 a she-bear robbed of her cubs
# [ch. 27:3] rather than a fool in his folly.
13If anyone #Ps. 35:12; 109:4, 5; [ch. 20:22; Matt. 5:39] returns evil for good,
# [2 Sam. 12:10] evil will not depart from his house.
14The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so #ch. 20:3; 25:8quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15He who #ch. 24:24; Ex. 23:7; Isa. 5:23 justifies the wicked and he who #Job 34:17; Ps. 94:21; [ver. 26; ch. 18:5]condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16Why should a fool have money in his hand #[ch. 23:23]to buy wisdom
when he has no sense?
17 # ch. 18:24; 27:10; [Ruth 1:16; Job 6:14] A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18One who lacks sense gives a pledge
and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
he who #[ch. 11:2; 29:23]makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 # [ch. 11:20] A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21He who #ch. 10:1; 19:13sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 # See ch. 15:13 A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit #Ps. 22:15; [ch. 12:25]dries up the bones.
23The wicked accepts #See ver. 8 a bribe in secret#17:23 Hebrew a bribe from the bosom
to #[Mic. 3:11; 7:3]pervert the ways of justice.
24 # [ch. 14:6; 15:14; Eccles. 2:14]; See Deut. 30:11-14 The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 # [See ver. 21 above] A foolish son is a grief to his father
# ch. 10:1 and bitterness to #ch. 23:25her who bore him.
26 # [ver. 15] To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27Whoever #ch. 10:19; [James 1:19]restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28Even a fool #Job 13:5who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
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