Proverbs 17

1Better a dry crust with peaceThan a house full of feasting with strife.

2A capable servant will dominate an incompetent sonAnd share the inheritance with the brothers.

3For silver—the crucible,For gold—the furnace,And GOD tests the mind.

4An evildoer listens to mischievous talk;A liar gives ear to malicious words.

5One who mocks the poor affronts their Maker;One who rejoices over another’s misfortune will not go unpunished.

6Grandchildren are the crown of their elders,And the glory of children is their parents.

7Lofty words are not fitting for a villain,Much less lying words for a noble.

8A bribe seems like a charm to its user;It brings success at every turn.

9One who seeks love overlooks faults,But one who harps on a matter alienates friends.

10A rebuke works on an intelligent personMore than one hundred blows on a fool.

11Evildoers seek only to rebel;A ruthless messenger will be sent against them.

12Sooner meet a bereaved she-bearThan a fool immersed in nonsense.

13Evil will never depart from the houseOf one who repays good with evil.

14To start a quarrel is to open a sluice;Before a dispute flares up, drop it.

15To acquit the guilty and convict the innocent—Both are an abomination to GOD.

16What good is money in the hand of a foolTo purchase wisdom, when that person has no mind?

17A friend is devoted at all times;A sibling is born to share adversity.

18Devoid of sense are the people who give their handTo stand surety for their fellows.

19One who loves transgression loves strife;One who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.

20Crooked minds come to no good,And the double-tongued fall into trouble.

21One begets a dullard to one’s own grief;The father of a villain has no joy.

22A joyful heart makes for good health; Despondency dries up the bones.

23The wicked draw bribes out of their bosomTo pervert the course of justice.

24Wisdom lies before the intelligent;The eyes of dullards range to the ends of the earth.

25A stupid son is vexation for his fatherAnd a heartache for the woman who bore him.

26To punish an innocent is surely not right,Or to flog the great for their uprightness.

27One who is knowledgeable is sparing with words;A man of understanding is reticent.

28Even fools who keep silent are deemed wise;Intelligent, while their mouth is shut.