Proverbs 17-18

Proverbs 17

¹Better is a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.

²A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.

³A refining pot is for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts is Jehovah.

⁴An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.

⁵Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.

⁶Sons' sons are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons are their fathers.

⁷Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.

⁸A stone of grace is the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

⁹Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.

¹⁰Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.

¹¹An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.

¹²The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And -- not a fool in his folly.

¹³Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.

¹⁴The beginning of contention is a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.

¹⁵Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these are an abomination to Jehovah.

¹⁶Why is this -- a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?

¹⁷At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.

¹⁸A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.

¹⁹Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.

²⁰The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.

²¹Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.

²²A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.

²³A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.

²⁴The face of the intelligent is to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool -- at the end of the earth.

²⁵A provocation to his father is a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.

²⁶Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.

²⁷One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper is a man of understanding.

²⁸Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!

Proverbs 18

¹For an object of desire he who is separated doth seek, With all wisdom he intermeddleth.

²A fool delighteth not in understanding, But -- in uncovering his heart.

³With the coming of the wicked come also hath contempt, And with shame -- reproach.

⁴Deep waters are the words of a man's mouth, The fountain of wisdom is a flowing brook.

⁵Acceptance of the face of the wicked is not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.

⁶The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth for stripes calleth.

⁷The mouth of a fool is ruin to him, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

⁸The words of a tale-bearer are as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down to the inner parts of the heart.

⁹He also that is remiss in his work, A brother he is to a destroyer.

¹⁰A tower of strength is the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.

¹¹The wealth of the rich is the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.

¹²Before destruction the heart of man is high, And before honour is humility.

¹³Whoso is answering a matter before he heareth, Folly it is to him and shame.

¹⁴The spirit of a man sustaineth his sickness, And a smitten spirit who doth bear?

¹⁵The heart of the intelligent getteth knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

¹⁶The gift of a man maketh room for him, And before the great it leadeth him.

¹⁷Righteous is the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.

¹⁸The lot causeth contentions to cease, And between the mighty it separateth.

¹⁹A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.

²⁰From the fruit of a man's mouth is his belly satisfied, From the increase of his lips he is satisfied.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.

²²Whoso hath found a wife hath found good, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

²³With supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things.

²⁴A man with friends is to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!