Proverbs 17

1 It is better to have quiet with a dry morsel of bread than a house full of feasting with strife.⋮

2 A wise servant will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.⋮

3 The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but Yahweh refines hearts.⋮

4 The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.⋮

5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.⋮

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and parents bring honor to their children.⋮

7 Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool; much less are lying lips suitable for royalty.⋮

8 A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.⋮

9 Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love, but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.⋮

10 A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding than a hundred blows go into a fool.⋮

11 An evil person only seeks rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.⋮

12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his foolishness.⋮

13 When someone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.⋮

14 The beginning of conflict is like one who releases water everywhere, so walk away from the dispute before it has broken out.⋮

15 The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person— both are an abomination to Yahweh.⋮

16 Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom, when he has no ability to learn it?⋮

17 A friend is loving at all times and a brother is born for times of trouble.⋮

18 A man having no sense makes binding promises and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.⋮

19 Whoever loves conflict loves sin; the one who makes the threshold of his door too high causes bones to be broken.⋮

20 A person who has a crooked heart finds nothing that is good; the one who has a perverse tongue falls into calamity.⋮

21 Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself; and the father of a fool has no joy.⋮

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.⋮

23 A wicked man accepts a secret bribe to pervert the ways of justice.⋮

24 The one who has understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are set on the ends of the earth.⋮

25 A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to the woman who bore him.⋮

26 Also, it is never good to punish the righteous person; neither is it good to flog noble men who have integrity.⋮

27 One who has knowledge uses few words and one with understanding is even-tempered.⋮

28 Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent; when he keeps his mouth shut, he is considered to be intelligent.⋮