Proverbs 17 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 17 ▼
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1 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. Better <i>is</i> a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices <i>with</i> strife. Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it Than a house full of feasting with strife. Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
2 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. A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, And will share in the inheritance among brothers. A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
3 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. The fining pot <i>is</i> for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts. The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests hearts. The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
4 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. A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; <i>and</i> a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue. An evildoer listens to wicked lips; A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 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. Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: <i>and</i> he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. One who mocks the poor taunts his Maker; One who rejoices at disaster will not go unpunished. Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
6 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. Children's children <i>are</i> the crown of old men; and the glory of children <i>are</i> their fathers. Grandchildren are the crown of the old, And the glory of sons is their fathers. Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.
7 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. Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince. Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince. Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
8 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. A gift <i>is as</i> a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth. A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers. A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn.
9 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. He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth <i>very</i> friends. One who conceals an offense seeks love, But one who repeats a matter separates close friends. Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
10 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. A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool. A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool. A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 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. An evil <i>man</i> seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. A rebellious person seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 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. Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly. Let a person meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his foolishness. Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.
13 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. Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house. One who returns evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house. Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.
14 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. The beginning of strife <i>is as</i> when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with. The beginning of strife is <i>like</i> letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
15 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. He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both <i>are</i> abomination to the LORD. One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.
16 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? Wherefore <i>is there</i> a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing <i>he hath</i> no heart <i>to it</i>? Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, When he has no sense? Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?
17 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. A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for 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 a time of adversity.
18 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. A man void of understanding striketh hands, <i>and</i> becometh surety in the presence of his friend. A person lacking in sense shakes hands And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor. One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.
19 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. He loveth transgression that loveth strife: <i>and</i> he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction. One who loves wrongdoing loves strife; One who makes his doorway high seeks destruction. Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 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. He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief. One who has a crooked mind finds nothing good, And one who is corrupted in his language falls into evil. One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 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. He that begetteth a fool <i>doeth it</i> to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy. He who fathers a fool <i>does so</i> to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy. To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
22 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. A merry heart doeth good <i>like</i> a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23 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. A wicked <i>man</i> taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment. A wicked person accepts a bribe from an inside pocket To pervert the ways of justice. The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.
24 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. Wisdom <i>is</i> before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool <i>are</i> in the ends of the earth. Wisdom is in the presence of one who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25 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. A foolish son <i>is</i> a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him. A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who gave birth to him. A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
26 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. Also to punish the just <i>is</i> not good, <i>nor</i> to strike princes for equity. It is also not good to fine the righteous, <i>Nor</i> to strike the noble for <i>their</i> uprightness. If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 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. He that hath knowledge spareth his words: <i>and</i> a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. One who withholds his words has knowledge, And one who has a cool spirit is a person of understanding. The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
28 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. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: <i>and</i> he that shutteth his lips <i>is esteemed</i> a man of understanding. Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is <i>considered</i> prudent. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
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