17
Better a Dry Morsel in Quietness
1 Better a dry morsel in quietness
than a house full of feasting * 17:1 Or sacrifices with strife.
2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold,
but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
4 A wicked man listens to evil lips;
a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 He who mocks the poor insults their Maker;
whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of a son is his father.
7 Eloquent words are unfit for a fool;
how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
8 A bribe is a charm to its giver;
wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,
but he who brings it up separates friends.
10 A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment
deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;
a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone returns evil for good,
evil will never leave his house.
14 To start a quarrel is to release a flood;
so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous-
both are detestable to the LORD.
16 Why should the fool have money in his hand
with no intention of buying wisdom?
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge
and puts up security for his neighbor.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife;
he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
20 The one with a perverse heart finds no good,
and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21 A man fathers a fool to his own grief;
the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 A wicked man takes a covert bribe † 17:23 Hebrew a bribe from the bosom
to subvert the course of justice.
24 Wisdom is the focus of the discerning,
but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 It is surely not good to punish the innocent
or to flog a noble for his honesty.
27 A man of knowledge restrains his words,
and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
28 Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent,
and discerning when he holds his tongue.