1
Better a dry crust with peace
than a house full of feasting with strife.(A)
2
A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and share an inheritance among brothers.
3
A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,(B)
and the Lord is the tester of hearts.(C)
4
A wicked person listens to malicious talk;(a)
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5
The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,(D)
and one who rejoices over calamity
will not go unpunished.(E)
6
Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,
and the pride of sons is their fathers.
7
Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;
how much worse are lies for a ruler.
8
A bribe(F) seems like a magic stone to its owner;
wherever he turns, he succeeds.(G)
9
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,(H)
but whoever gossips about it separates friends.(I)
10
A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.
11
An evil man seeks only rebellion;
a cruel messenger(b)(J) will be sent against him.
12
Better for a man to meet a bear robbed of her cubs(K)
than a fool in his foolishness.
13
If anyone returns evil for good,(L)
evil will never depart from his house.(M)
14
To start a conflict is to release a flood;
stop the dispute before it breaks out.(N)
15
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just(O)
both are detestable to the Lord.
16
Why does a fool have money in his hand
with no intention of buying wisdom?(P)
17
A friend loves at all times,(Q)
and a brother is born for a difficult time.
18
One without sense enters an agreement(c)
and puts up security for his friend.(R)
19
One who loves to offend loves strife;(S)
one who builds a high threshold invites injury.
20
One with a twisted mind will not succeed,
and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.(T)
21
A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow;
the father of a fool has no joy.(U)
22
A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit dries up the bones.(V)
23
A wicked man secretly takes a bribe(W)
to subvert the course of justice.(X)
24
Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,
but a fool’s eyes(Y) roam to the ends of the earth.
25
A foolish son is grief to his father
and bitterness to the one who bore him.(Z)
26
It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person
or to beat a noble for his honesty.(d)(AA)
27
The intelligent person restrains his words,(AB)
and one who keeps a cool head(e)
is a man of understanding.
28
Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent,
discerning when he seals his lips.(AC)


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Footnotes:

a. Proverbs 17:4: Lit to lips of iniquity
b. Proverbs 17:11: Or a merciless angel
c. Proverbs 17:18: Lit sense shakes hands
d. Proverbs 17:26: Or noble unfairly
e. Proverbs 17:27: Lit spirit

Cross references:

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.