Parallel
Proverbs 17
World English Bible British Edition · Berean Standard Bible
Better is a dry morsel with quietness,
Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting (note: Or sacrifices) with strife.
A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame,
A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold,
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
An evildoer heeds wicked lips.
A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker.
He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
Children’s children are the crown of old men;
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
Excellent speech isn’t fitting for a fool,
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it;
A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
He who covers an offence promotes love;
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding
A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
An evil man seeks only rebellion;
An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man,
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
Whoever rewards evil for good,
If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam,
To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous,
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.
Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
A friend loves at all times;
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
A man void of understanding strikes hands,
A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
He who loves disobedience loves strife.
He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity,
The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
He who becomes the father of a fool grieves.
A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
A cheerful heart makes good medicine,
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
A wicked man receives a bribe in secret,
A wicked man takes a covert bribe (note: Hebrew a bribe from the bosom) to subvert the course of justice.
Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding,
Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
A foolish son brings grief to his father,
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
Also to punish the righteous is not good,
It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
He who spares his words has knowledge.
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise.
Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.