Proverbs 17

Jubilee Bible 2000

17 ¶ Better is a dry morsel in peace than the house of contention full of sacrifices for a feast.

² ¶ A prudent slave shall have rule over a son that causes shame and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

³ ¶ The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tries the hearts.

⁴ ¶ An evil doer gives heed to false lips, and a liar gives ear to the tongue which curses.

⁵ ¶ Whosoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker, and he that is glad regarding the calamity of someone else shall not go unpunished.

⁶ ¶ Children’s children are the crown of old men, and the honour of the children are their fathers.

⁷ ¶ Excellent speech is not suitable for a fool: much less lying lips for a prince!

⁸ ¶ A bribe is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that has it; wherever it turns, it prospers.

⁹ ¶ He that covers a transgression seeks love, but he that repeats a matter separates very friends.

¹⁰ ¶ Reproof is of more benefit to a wise man than a hundred stripes to a fool.

¹¹ ¶ The rebellious man seeks only evil; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

¹² ¶ It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.

¹³ ¶ Whosoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

¹⁴ ¶ To release the waters (to speak rashly) is the beginning of contention; therefore, leave off strife before it gets started.

¹⁵ ¶ He that justifies the wicked and he that condemns the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

¹⁶ ¶ Of what good is the price to buy wisdom in the hand of the fool, seeing he has no heart to understand?

¹⁷ ¶ A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

¹⁸ ¶ A man void of understanding strikes hands and becomes surety in the presence of his friend.

¹⁹ ¶ Transgression loves him that loves strife, and he that exalts his gate seeks destruction.

²⁰ ¶ He that has a perverse heart shall never find good, and he that stirs up trouble with his tongue shall fall into evil.

²¹ ¶ He that begets a fool does it to his sorrow, and the father of a fool shall have no joy.

²² ¶ A joyful heart shall do good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.

²³ ¶ A wicked man takes a gift in secret to pervert the paths of judgment.

²⁴ ¶ Wisdom appears upon the countenance of him that has understanding, but the eyes of a fool manifest his folly unto the ends of the earth.

²⁵ ¶ The foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her that bore him.

²⁶ ¶ It is certainly not good to condemn the just, nor to smite princes for doing that which is upright.

²⁷ ¶ He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

²⁸ Even a fool, when he is silent is counted wise, and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.