Proverbs 17

New King James Version

² A wise servant will rule over^(B)a son who causes shame,
And will share an inheritance among the brothers.

³ The refining potisfor silver and the furnace for gold,
^(C)But theLordtests the hearts.

⁴ An evildoer gives heed to false lips;
A liar listens eagerly to a^[b]spiteful tongue.

^5 (D)He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;
^(E)He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

^6 (F)Children’s childrenarethe crown of old men,
And the glory of childrenistheir father.

⁷ Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.

⁸ A presentisa precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.

^9 (G)He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But^(H)he who repeats a matter separates friends.

^10 (I)Rebuke is more effective for a wiseman
Than a hundred blows on a fool.

¹¹ An evilmanseeks only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

¹² Let a man meet^(J)a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.

¹³ Whoever^(K)rewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.

¹⁴ The beginning of strifeis likereleasing water;
Therefore^(L)stop contention before a quarrel starts.

^15 (M)He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alikearean abomination to theLord.

¹⁶ Whyis therein the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Sincehe hasno heartfor it?

^17 (N)A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.

^18 (O)A man devoid of^[c]understanding^[d]shakes hands in a pledge,
Andbecomes^[e]surety for his friend.

¹⁹ He who loves transgression loves strife,
And^(P)he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.

²⁰ He who has a^[f]deceitful heart finds no good,
And he who has^(Q)a perverse tongue falls into evil.

²¹ He who begets a scofferdoes soto his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.

²² A^(R)merry heart^[g]does good,likemedicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

²³ A wickedmanaccepts a bribe^[h]behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.

^24 (S)Wisdomisin the sight of him who has understanding,
But the eyes of a foolareon the ends of the earth.

²⁵ A^(T)foolish sonisa grief to his father,
And bitterness to her who bore him.

²⁶ Also, to punish the righteousisnot good,
Norto strike princes fortheiruprightness.

^27 (U)He who has knowledge spares his words,
Anda man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
^28 (V)Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
Whenhe shuts his lips,he is consideredperceptive.