Proverbs 17

1 Better a dry crust with peace

than a house full of feasting with strife.  * 17:1 Pr 15:17; 21:9,19; 25:24

2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son

and share an inheritance among brothers.

3 A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,  * 17:3 Pr 27:21

and the Lord is the tester of hearts.  * 17:3 1Ch 29:17; Ps 26:2; Pr 16:2; 21:2; Is 48:10; Jr 17:10; Mal 3:3

4 A wicked person listens to malicious talk;  * 17:4 Lit to lips of iniquity

a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,  * 17:5 Pr 14:31; 21:13

and one who rejoices over calamity

will not go unpunished.  * 17:5 Jb 31:29; Pr 24:17; Lm 1:21–22; Ezk 25:6–7; 35:15; Ob 12

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,

and the pride of children is their fathers.

7 Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;

how much worse are lies for a ruler.

8 A bribe  * 17:8 Ex 23:8; Is 1:23; Am 5:12 seems like a magic stone to its owner;

wherever he turns, he succeeds.  * 17:8 Pr 18:16; 19:6; 21:14

9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,  * 17:9 Pr 10:12; Jms 5:20; 1Pt 4:8

but whoever gossips about it separates friends.  * 17:9 Lv 19:16; Pr 11:13; 16:28

10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person

more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

11 An evil person desires only rebellion;

a cruel messenger  * 17:11 Or a merciless angel,* 17:11 Ps 78:49 will be sent against him.

12 Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubs  * 17:12 2Sm 17:8; Hs 13:8

than a fool in his foolishness.

13 If anyone returns evil for good,  * 17:13 Ps 35:12; 109:5

evil will never depart from his house.  * 17:13 2Sm 12:10

14 To start a conflict is to release a flood;

stop the dispute before it breaks out.  * 17:14 Pr 20:3; 25:8

15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just  * 17:15 Ex 23:7; Pr 17:26; 18:5; 24:23–24; Is 5:23  —

both are detestable to the  Lord.

16 Why does a fool have money in his hand

with no intention of buying wisdom?  * 17:16 Pr 4:5,7; 18:15; 23:23

17 A friend loves at all times,  * 17:17 Ru 1:16; Pr 18:24; 27:10

and a brother is born for a difficult time.

18 One without sense enters an agreement  * 17:18 Lit sense slaps hands

and puts up security for his friend.  * 17:18 Pr 6:1–5; 11:15; 22:26

19 One who loves to offend loves strife;  * 17:19 Pr 29:22

one who builds a high threshold invites injury.

20 One with a twisted mind will not succeed,

and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.  * 17:20 Jr 23:36

21 A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow;

the father of a fool has no joy.  * 17:21 Pr 10:1; 17:25; 19:13; 23:24–25

22 A joyful heart is good medicine,

but a broken spirit dries up the bones.  * 17:22 Ps 22:15; Pr 14:30; 15:13; 18:14

23 A wicked person secretly takes a bribe  * 17:23 Pr 17:8

to subvert the course of justice.  * 17:23 Dt 16:19; Ps 15:5; Pr 18:5; Mc 3:11; 7:3

24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,

but a fool’s eyes  * 17:24 Ec 2:14 roam to the ends of the earth.

25 A foolish son is grief to his father

and bitterness to the one who bore him.  * 17:25 Pr 10:1; 17:21; 19:13

26 It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person

or to beat a noble for his honesty.  * 17:26 Or noble unfairly,* 17:26 Pr 17:15; 18:5; 24:23–24

27 The one who has knowledge restrains his words,  * 17:27 Pr 10:19; Jms 1:19; 3:2

and one who keeps a cool head  * 17:27 Lit spirit

is a person of understanding.

28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent —

discerning, when he seals his lips.  * 17:28 Jb 13:5; Pr 10:19