Proverbs 17-18 (NIV84)

Proverbs 17

¹ Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, ^[a]with strife.

² A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son,
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.

⁴ A wicked man listens to evil lips;
a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue.

⁵ He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;
whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

⁶ Children’s children are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.

⁷ Arrogant ^[b] lips are unsuited to a fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!

⁸ A bribe is a charm to the one who gives it;
wherever he turns, he succeeds.

⁹ He who covers over an offense promotes love,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

¹⁰ A rebuke impresses a man of discernment
more than a hundred lashes a fool.

¹¹ An evil man is bent only on rebellion;
a merciless official will be sent against him.

¹² Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool in his folly.

¹³ If a man pays back evil for good,
evil will never leave his house.

¹⁴ Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

¹⁵ Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
the LORD detests them both.

¹⁶ Of what use is money in the hand of a fool,
since he has no desire to get wisdom?

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.

¹⁸ A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge
and puts up security for his neighbor.

¹⁹ He who loves a quarrel loves sin;
he who builds a high gate invites destruction.

²⁰ A man of perverse heart does not prosper;
he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.

²¹ To have a fool for a son brings grief;
there is no joy for the father of a fool.

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

²³ A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret
to pervert the course of justice.

²⁴ A discerning man 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 the one who bore him.

²⁶ It is not good to punish an innocent man,
or to flog officials for their integrity.

²⁷ A man of knowledge uses words with restraint,
and a man of understanding is even-tempered.

²⁸ Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Proverbs 18

¹ An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends;
he defies all sound judgment.

² A fool finds no pleasure in understanding
but delights in airing his own opinions.

³ When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes disgrace.

⁴ The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters,
but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

⁵ It is not good to be partial to the wicked
or to deprive the innocent of justice.

⁶ A fool’s lips bring him strife,
and his mouth invites a beating.

⁷ A fool’s mouth is his undoing,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.

⁸ The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to a man’s inmost parts.

⁹ One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.

¹⁰ The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.

¹¹ The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;
they imagine it an unscalable wall.

¹² Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud,
but humility comes before honor.

¹³ He who answers before listening—
that is his folly and his shame.

¹⁴ A man’s spirit sustains him in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?

¹⁵ The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge;
the ears of the wise seek it out.

¹⁶ A gift opens the way for the giver
and ushers him into the presence of the great.

¹⁷ The first to present his case seems right,
till another comes forward and questions him.

¹⁸ Casting the lot settles disputes
and keeps strong opponents apart.

¹⁹ An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city,
and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.

²⁰ From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.

²¹ The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

²² He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the LORD.

²³ A poor man pleads for mercy,
but a rich man answers harshly.

²⁴ A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 17:1 Hebrew sacrifices
2. Proverbs 17:7 Or Eloquent