Proverbs 17

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Better a mouthful of dry bread with peace than a house fil ed with quarrelsome sacrifices.	1 Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A shrewd servant comes off better than an unworthy child, he will share the inheritance with thebrothers.	2 An intelligent servant will rule over a worthless son, and will share the inheritance with the brothers.
3 A furnace for silver, a foundry for gold, but Yahweh for the testing of hearts!	3 The crucible for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the tester of hearts is the LORD.
4 An evil-doer pays heed to malicious talk, a liar listens to a slanderous tongue.	4 The evil man gives heed to wicked lips, and listens to falsehood from a mischievous tongue.
5 To mock the poor is to insult the Creator, no one who laughs at distress wil go unpunished.	5 He who mocks the poor blasphemes his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6 The crown of the aged is their children's children; the children's glory is their father.	6 Grandchildren are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their parentage.
7 Fine words do not become the foolish, false words become a prince stil less.	7 Fine words are out of place in a fool; how much more, lying words in a noble!
8 A gift works like a talisman for one who holds it: it brings prosperity at every turn.	8 A man who has a bribe to offer rates it a magic stone; at every turn it brings him success.
9 Whoever covers an offence promotes love, whoever again raises the matter divides friends.	9 He who covers up a misdeed fosters friendship, but he who gossips about it separates friends.
10 A reproof makes more impression on a person of understanding than a hundred strokes on a fool.	10 A single reprimand does more for a man of intelligence than a hundred lashes for a fool.
11 The wicked person thinks of nothing but rebellion, but a cruel messenger wil be sent to such a one.	11 On rebellion alone is the wicked man bent, but a merciless messenger will be sent against him.
12 Rather come on a bear robbed of her cubs than on a fool in his fol y.	12 Face a bear robbed of her cubs, but never a fool in his folly!
13 Disaster wil never be far from the house of one who returns evil for good.	13 If a man returns evil for good, from his house evil will not depart.
14 As well unleash a flood as start a dispute; desist before the quarrel breaks out.	14 The start of strife is like the opening of a dam; therefore, check a quarrel before it begins!
15 To absolve the guilty and condemn the upright, both alike are abhorrent to Yahweh.	15 He who condones the wicked, he who condemns the just, are both an abomination to the LORD.
16 What good is money in the hand of a fool? To buy wisdom with it? The desire is not there.	16 Of what use in the fool's hand are the means to buy wisdom, since he has no mind for it?
17 A friend is a friend at all times, it is for adversity that a brother is born.	17 He who is a friend is always a friend, and a brother is born for the time of stress.
18 Whoever offers guarantees lacks sense and goes surety for a neighbour.	18 Senseless is the man who gives his hand in pledge, who becomes surety for his neighbor.
19 The double-dealer loves sin, the proud courts ruin.	19 He who loves strife loves guilt; he who builds his gate high courts disaster.
20 The tortuous of heart finds no happiness, the perverse of speech fal s into misery.	20 He who is perverse in heart finds no good, and a double-tongued man falls into trouble.
21 He who fathers a stupid child does so to his sorrow, the father of a fool knows no joy.	21 To be a fool's parent is grief for a man; the father of a numskull has no joy.
22 A glad heart is excel ent medicine, a depressed spirit wastes the bones away.	22 A joyful heart is the health of the body, but a depressed spirit dries up the bones.
23 Under cover of his cloak a bad man takes a gift to pervert the course of justice.	23 The wicked man accepts a concealed bribe to pervert the course of justice.
24 The intelligent has wisdom there before him, but the eyes of a fool range to the ends of the earth.	24 The man of intelligence fixes his gaze on wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish child is a father's sorrow, and the grief of her who gave the child birth.	25 A foolish son is vexation to his father, and bitter sorrow to her who bore him.
26 To fine the upright is indeed a crime, to strike the noble is an injustice.	26 It is wrong to fine an innocent man, but beyond reason to scourge princes.
27 Whoever can control the tongue knows what knowledge is, someone of understanding keeps a cooltemper.	27 He who spares his words is truly wise, and he who is chary of speech is a man of intelligence.
28 If the fool holds his tongue, he may pass for wise; if he seals his lips, he may pass for intel igent.	28 Even a fool, if he keeps silent, is considered wise; if he closes his lips, intelligent.