Proverbs 17 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 17 ▼
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1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife. Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife. Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the family. A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers. A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart. A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts. The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue. An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished. Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father. Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler! Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler! Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn. A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds. A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends. Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool. A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool. A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them. An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him. An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly. It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly. Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good. If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house. If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out. To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out. The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both. Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD. He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it? Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom? Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor. A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor. One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction. He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction. Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble. The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble. A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool. A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy. He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice. A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice. The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth. Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth. The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him. A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right. It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty. To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit. Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
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