Proverbs 17 (New American Standard)

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 ¹Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it Than a house full of ^afeasting with strife. 2 A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, And will share in the inheritance among brothers. 3 The ²refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But ³the LORD tests hearts. 4 An ⁴evildoer listens to wicked lips ; A ^bliar pays attention to a destructive tongue. 5 He who mocks the ⁵poor taunts his Maker ; He who ⁶rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished. 6 ⁷Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the ⁸glory of sons is their fathers. 7 ^c9Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are ¹⁰lying lips to a prince. 8 A ¹¹bribe is a ^dcharm in the sight of its owner ; Wherever he turns, he prospers. 9 He who ¹²conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter ¹³separates intimate friends. 10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool. 11 A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. 12 Let a ¹⁴man meet a ¹⁵bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly. 13 He who ¹⁶returns evil for good, ¹⁷Evil will not depart from his house. 14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So ¹⁸abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. 15 He who ¹⁹justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. 16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to ²⁰buy wisdom, When ^ehe has no sense ? 17 A ²¹friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. 18 A man lacking in ^fsense ^g22pledges And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor. 19 He who ²³loves transgression loves strife ; He who ²⁴raises his door seeks destruction. 20 He who has a crooked ^hmind ²⁵finds no good, And he who is ²⁶perverted in his language falls into evil. 21 He who ²⁷sires a fool does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy. 22 A ²⁸joyful heart ⁱis good medicine, But a broken spirit ²⁹dries up the bones. 23 A wicked man receives a ³⁰bribe from the bosom To ³¹pervert the ways of justice. 24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding, But the ³²eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. 25 A ³³foolish son is a grief to his father And ³⁴bitterness to her who bore him. 26 It is also not good to ³⁵fine the righteous, Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness. 27 He who ³⁶restrains his words ^jhas knowledge, And he who has a ³⁷cool spirit is a man of understanding. 28 Even a fool, when he ³⁸keeps silent, is considered wise ; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.