The chapter opens by declaring that a dry crust with peace and quiet is better than a house full of feasting with strife. A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share the inheritance as one of the family. The crucible tests silver and the furnace tests gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
1 Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.
3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but Yahweh tests the hearts.
Evildoers listen to wicked lips, and liars pay attention to destructive tongues. Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker, and whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.
4 An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
Proverbs 17:5
5 Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
6 Children’s children are the crown of old men; the glory of children are their parents.
Eloquent lips are not fitting for a fool, and lying lips are even less fitting for a ruler. A bribe is described as a charm in the eyes of the one who gives it, seeming to succeed wherever he turns. Whoever covers an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends. A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes impress a fool.
7 Arrogant speech isn’t fitting for a fool, much less do lying lips fit a prince.
8 A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.
9 He who covers an offense promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.
10 A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding than a hundred lashes into a fool.
Evildoers foster rebellion and will face a merciless messenger. Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly. Evil will never leave the house of one who repays good with evil. Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam, so the learner is told to drop the matter before dispute breaks out.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent are both detestable to the LORD. Money in the hand of a fool is useless for buying wisdom because he has no desire to learn. A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.
15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
16 Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?
17 A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.
Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin, and whoever builds a high gate invites destruction. One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper, and one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble. A foolish son brings grief to his father and no joy to the mother who bore him. A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
19 He who loves disobedience loves strife. One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.
20 One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.
21 He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.
22 A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert justice. A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth. A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him. Punishing the innocent and flogging officials for their integrity are not good.
23 A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.
24 Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, 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 Also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.
The chapter closes by commending restraint. The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
27 He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.