ProverbsChapter 17
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1A dry crust of bread eaten in peace
is better than a house full of feasts with fighting. 2A wise servant will rule over a son who brings shame.
He will share the inheritance like one of the brothers. 3A melting pot is for silver, and a furnace is for gold.
But the LORD is the one who tests hearts. 4A wicked man listens to evil lips.
A liar pays attention to a harmful tongue. 5Whoever makes fun of the poor insults the God who made them.
Whoever is glad when trouble comes will not escape punishment. 6Grandchildren are a crown to old people.
And a son's glory is his father. 7Fine words don't fit a fool.
Lying lips fit a ruler even less! 8A bribe is like a magic charm to the one who gives it.
Wherever he turns, he succeeds. 9Whoever covers over a wrong builds love.
But whoever keeps bringing it up splits up friends. 10One warning cuts deeper into a wise man
than a hundred whippings cut into a fool. 11An evil man looks only to rebel.
A cruel messenger will be sent against him. 12It is better to meet a bear whose cubs were taken
than to meet a fool acting foolish. 13If anyone pays back evil for good,
evil will never leave his house. 14Starting a fight is like letting out a flood.
So drop the argument before it breaks out. 15Letting the guilty go free and punishing those who do right
are both things the LORD hates. 16Why should a fool have money in his hand
when he has no plan to buy wisdom? 17A friend loves at all times.
A brother is born to help in hard times. 18A man with poor judgment shakes hands to make a promise.
He agrees to pay his neighbor's debt. 19Whoever loves sin loves fighting.
Whoever builds his gate high is asking to be ruined. 20The one with a twisted heart finds nothing good.
The one with a lying tongue falls into trouble. 21A man who has a foolish son has sorrow.
The father of a fool has no joy. 22A joyful heart is good medicine.
But a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 23A wicked man takes a secret bribe
to twist the path of justice. 24A wise person keeps his eyes on wisdom.
But a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth. 25A foolish son brings sorrow to his father.
He brings bitter pain to the mother who gave birth to him. 26It is surely not good to punish someone who is innocent.
It is not good to whip a leader for being honest. 27A man with knowledge holds back his words.
A man with understanding stays calm. 28Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps quiet.
He seems smart when he holds his tongue.