17:1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
17:1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

17:2 A slave who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
17:2 A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully, and will share the inheritance as one of the family.

17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tries hearts.
17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.

17:4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips; and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.
17:4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips; and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.

17:5 He who mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
17:5 Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

17:6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of sons is their fathers.
17:6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their parents.

17:7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.
17:7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a ruler.

17:8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.
17:8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it; wherever they turn they prosper.

17:9 He who forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter alienates a friend.
17:9 One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.

17:10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.
17:10 A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person than a hundred blows into a fool.

17:11 An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
17:11 Evil people seek only rebellion, but a cruel messenger will be sent against them.

17:12 Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly.
17:12 Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs than to confront a fool immersed in folly.

17:13 If a man returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.
17:13 Evil will not depart from the house of one who returns evil for good.

17:14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water; so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
17:14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water; so stop before the quarrel breaks out.

17:15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
17:15 One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.

17:16 Why should a fool have a price in his hand to buy wisdom, when he has no mind?
17:16 Why should fools have a price in hand to buy wisdom, when they have no mind to learn?

17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
17:17 A friend loves at all times, and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.

17:18 A man without sense gives a pledge, and becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor.
17:18 It is senseless to give a pledge, to become surety for a neighbor.

17:19 He who loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
17:19 One who loves transgression loves strife; one who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.

17:20 A man of crooked mind does not prosper, and one with a perverse tongue falls into calamity.
17:20 The crooked of mind do not prosper, and the perverse of tongue fall into calamity.

17:21 A stupid son is a grief to a father; and the father of a fool has no joy.
17:21 The one who begets a fool gets trouble; the parent of a fool has no joy.

17:22 A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.
17:22 A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.

17:23 A wicked man accepts a bribe from the bosom to pervert the ways of justice.
17:23 The wicked accept a concealed bribe to pervert the ways of justice.

17:24 A man of understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
17:24 The discerning person looks to wisdom, but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.

17:25 A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
17:25 Foolish children are a grief to their father and bitterness to her who bore them.

17:26 To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good; to flog noble men is wrong.
17:26 To impose a fine on the innocent is not right, or to flog the noble for their integrity.

17:27 He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
17:27 One who spares words is knowledgeable; one who is cool in spirit has understanding.

17:28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
17:28 Even fools who keep silent are considered wise; when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.