Proverbs 17
Young's Literal Translation
17 Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
2 A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.
3 A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] Jehovah.
4 An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
6 Sons' sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
7 Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.
8 A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9 Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
10 Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.
11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
12 The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And -- not a fool in his folly.
13 Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.
14 The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.
15 Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
16 Why [is] this -- a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?
17 At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.
18 A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.
19 Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.
20 The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.
21 Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.
22 A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.
23 A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
24 The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool -- at the end of the earth.
25 A provocation to his father [is] a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.
26 Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.
27 One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!
Proverbs 17
English Standard Version
17 (A)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting[a] with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over (B)a son who acts shamefully
and (C)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 (D)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
(E)and the Lord tests hearts.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor (F)insults his Maker;
he who is (G)glad at calamity will not go (H)unpunished.
6 (I)Grandchildren are (J)the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not (K)becoming to a fool;
still less is (L)false speech to a prince.
8 (M)A bribe is like a magic[b] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever (N)covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter (O)separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and (P)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet (Q)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
(R)rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone (S)returns evil for good,
(T)evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so (U)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He who (V)justifies the wicked and he who (W)condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand (X)to buy wisdom
when he has no sense?
17 (Y)A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge
and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
he who (Z)makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 (AA)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21 He who (AB)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 (AC)A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit (AD)dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accepts (AE)a bribe in secret[c]
to (AF)pervert the ways of justice.
24 (AG)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 (AH)A foolish son is a grief to his father
(AI)and bitterness to (AJ)her who bore him.
26 (AK)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 Whoever (AL)restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool (AM)who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:1 Hebrew sacrifices
- Proverbs 17:8 Or precious
- Proverbs 17:23 Hebrew a bribe from the bosom
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
