Proverbs 17
17
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
1Better is a dry morsel [of food served] with quietness and peace
Than a house full of feasting [served] with strife and contention.
2A wise servant will rule over the [unworthy] son who acts shamefully and brings disgrace [to the family]
And [the worthy servant] will share in the inheritance among the brothers.
3The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the Lord tests hearts. [Ps 26:2; Prov 27:21; Jer 17:10; Mal 3:3]
4An evildoer listens closely to wicked lips;
And a liar pays attention to a destructive and malicious tongue.
5Whoever mocks the poor taunts his Maker,
And he who rejoices at [another’s] disaster will not go unpunished. [Job 31:29; Prov 14:31; Obad 12]
6Grandchildren are the crown of aged men,
And the glory of children is their fathers [who live godly lives]. [Ps 127:3; 128:3]
7Excellent speech does not benefit a fool [who is spiritually blind],
Much less do lying lips benefit a prince.
8A bribe is like a bright, precious stone in the eyes of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love,
But he who repeats or gossips about a matter separates intimate friends.
10A reprimand goes deeper into one who has understanding and a teachable spirit
Than a hundred lashes into a fool. [Is 32:6]
11A rebellious man seeks only evil;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12Let a man meet a [ferocious] bear robbed of her cubs
Rather than the [angry, narcissistic] fool in his folly. [Hos 13:8]
13Whoever returns evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house. [Ps 109:4, 5; Jer 18:20]
14The beginning of strife is like letting out water [as from a small break in a dam; first it trickles and then it gushes];
Therefore #17:14 The ancient rabbis derived from this statement the principle of seeking a settlement before a case comes to court (cf Matt 5:25; Luke 12:58).abandon the quarrel before it breaks out and tempers explode.
15He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous
Are both repulsive to the Lord. [Ex 23:7; Prov 24:24; Is 5:23]
16Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
When he has no common sense or even a heart for it?
17A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
18A man lacking common sense gives a pledge
And becomes guarantor [for the debt of another] in the presence of his neighbor.
19He who loves transgression loves strife and is quarrelsome;
He who [proudly] raises his gate seeks destruction [because of his arrogant pride].
20He who has a crooked mind finds no good,
And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil. [James 3:8]
21He who becomes the parent of a fool [who is spiritually blind] does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool [who is spiritually blind] has no joy.
22A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing,
But a broken spirit dries up the bones. [Prov 12:25; 15:13, 15]
23A wicked man receives a bribe from the [hidden] pocket
To pervert the ways of justice.
24[Skillful and godly] wisdom is in the presence of a person of understanding [and he recognizes it],
But the eyes of a [thickheaded] fool are on the ends of the earth.
25A foolish son is a grief and anguish to his father
And bitterness to her who gave birth to him.
26It is also not good to fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words,
And a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, an even temper). [James 1:19]
28Even a [callous, arrogant] fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips he is regarded as sensible (prudent, discreet) and a man of understanding.
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 17: AMP
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Amplified® Bible
Copyright © 2015 by
The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
All rights reserved. http://www.lockman.org
Proverbs 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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Sign up to receive news and updates about the ESV: