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.
Proverbs 17
17
1Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than to have a banquet in a house full of trouble.
2A shrewd servant will gain authority over a master's worthless son and receive a part of the inheritance.
3Gold and silver are tested by fire, and a person's heart is tested by the LORD.
4Evil people listen to evil ideas, and liars listen to lies.
5If you laugh at poor people, you insult the God who made them. You will be punished if you take pleasure in someone's misfortune.
6Grandparents are proud of their grandchildren, just as children are proud of their parents.
7Respected people do not tell lies, and fools have nothing worthwhile to say.
8Some people think a bribe works like magic; they believe it can do anything.
9If you want people to like you, forgive them when they wrong you. Remembering wrongs can break up a friendship.
10An intelligent person learns more from one rebuke than a fool learns from being beaten a hundred times.
11Death will come like a cruel messenger to wicked people who are always stirring up trouble.
12It is better to meet a mother bear robbed of her cubs than to meet some fool busy with a stupid project.
13If you repay good with evil, you will never get evil out of your house.
14The start of an argument is like the first break in a dam; stop it before it goes any further.
15Condemning the innocent or letting the wicked go — both are hateful to the LORD.
16It does a fool no good to spend money on an education, because he has no common sense.
17Friends always show their love. What are relatives for if not to share trouble?
18Only someone with no sense would promise to be responsible for someone else's debts.
19To like sin is to like making trouble. If you brag all the time,#17.19 brag… time; or make a show of your wealth. you are asking for trouble.
20Anyone who thinks and speaks evil can expect to find nothing good — only disaster.
21There is nothing but sadness and sorrow for parents whose children do foolish things.
22Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.
23Corrupt judges accept secret bribes, and then justice is not done.
24An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions.
25Foolish children bring grief to their fathers and bitter regrets to their mothers.
26It is not right to make an innocent person pay a fine; justice is perverted when good people are punished.
27Those who are sure of themselves do not talk all the time. People who stay calm have real insight. 28After all, even a fool may be thought wise and intelligent if he stays quiet and keeps his mouth shut.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.