Proverbs

Proverbs 17

Various observations of moral virtues and their contrary vices.


1BETTER is aa dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of 1sacrifices with strife.

1Or, good cheer.

a ch. 15.16,17; 16.8. Ec. 4.6. 1Ti. 6.6,8. Ps. 37.16.

2A wise servant shall have rule over ba son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

b ch. 10.5; 19.26; 29.15; 28.7,24.

3The c*fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.

*fining-refining.

c ch. 27.21. Ps. 26.2; 17.3; 139.23,24. Je. 17.10. Mal. 3.3. 1Pe. 1.7. Is. 48.10.

4A dwicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a *naughty tongue.

*naughty-worthless, bad.

d 1Sa. 22.7-11. 1Ki. 22.6-27. ch. 29.12.

5eWhoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be 2unpunished.

2Heb. held innocent.

e ch. 14.31. Ja. 2.15,16. 1Jn. 3.17. Ob. 11-16. Je. 17.16. Job 31.29. Re. 11.10,13.

6fChildren's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

f Ps. 127.3,5; 128.3,6. Job 42.16. Ge. 50.23.

73Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do 4lying lips a prince.

3Heb. A lip of excellency. ch. 26.7; 16.10-13; 29.12.

4Heb. a lip of lying.

8A ggift is as 5a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

5Heb. a stone of grace.

g ch. 18.16; 19.6; 21.14. Ge. 33. 1Sa. 25. 2Sa. 16.1-4.

9He hthat covereth a transgression 6seeketh love; ibut he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

6Or, procureth.

h ch. 10.12; 19.11. 1Pe. 4.8. i ch. 16.28; 6.19.

107A jreproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.

7Or, A reproof aweth more a wise man than to strike a fool a hundred times.

j Ps. 141.5. ch. 9.8,9; 12.1; 15.5,31,32.

11An kevil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

k 2Sa. 18; 20. Nu. 16.

12lLet a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

l Ho. 13.8. ch. 28.15. 2Ki. 2.24.

13Whoso mrewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

m Ps. 55.12-15; 35.12; 109.4-20. Ro. 12.17. 1Th. 5.15. 1Pe. 3.9. Mat. 5.39.

14The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: ntherefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

n He. 12.14. Ro. 12.18. ch. 13.10; 16.32; 20.3; 25.8,9. 1Th. 4.11.

15oHe that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

o Ex. 23.7. ch. 24.24. Is. 5.23,24. Eze. 13.10,16. 1Ki. 21.13.

16pWherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

p Is. 55.1-7. Ps. 81.8-11. Ho. 11.2,7. Ac. 13.46,47. 2Co. 6.1. He. 2.3.

17A qfriend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

q ch. 18.24. 1Sa. 18-20; 23. 2Sa. 1; 9. Ru. 1.16. Es. 4.14. Job 6.14.

18A rman void of 8understanding *striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

8Heb. heart.

*striketh hands-shakes hands, usually concluding an agreement.

r ch. 6.1-5; 11.15; 20.16; 22.26,27.

19He sloveth transgression that loveth strife: and the that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

s Ps. 36.1-4. ch. 10.12; 13.10. Ja. 4.1; 3.6,16. t ch. 11.2; 16.18; 18.12; 29.23. 1Sa. 25.36-38. Da. 4.30,31.

209He uthat hath a *froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

9Heb. The froward of heart.

*froward-perverse, contrary, self-willed.

u Ps. 18.26. ch. 3.32; 8.13; 16.28; 22.5; 18.6,7. Ja. 3.6.

21He vthat begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.

v ch. 10.1; 15.20; 19.13. v.25. Ge. 26.35; 42.38.

22A wmerry heart doeth good 10like a medicine: but xa broken spirit drieth the bones.

10Or, to a medicine.

w ch. 15.13,15; 12.25. Ec. 9.7-9. Ps. 22.15. 2Co. 2.7. x ch. 18.14.

23A ywicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

y ch. 21.14; 18.16. 1Sa. 8.3. Ex. 23.2,8. 2Ki. 5.21. Ec. 7.9.

24zWisdom is before him that hath understanding; abut the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

z ch. 14.6; 15.14. Ec. 2.14; 8.1. a ch. 23.5. Ps. 119.37.

25A bfoolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

b ch. 10.1; 15.20; 19.13. v.25. 2Sa. 13-18.

26cAlso to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.

c 1Ki. 1. ch. 18.5; 10.19. v.11,15. Ja. 1.19; 3.2.

27He dthat hath knowledge espareth his words: and a man of understanding is of 11an excellent spirit.

11Or, a cool spirit.

d Am. 5.13. Ps. 39.1,9. e ch. 10.19. Ja. 1.19.

28fEven a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

f Job 13.5. Ec. 5.3; 10.3. ch. 15.2; 14.6-8; 18.6,7.