Proverbs Chapter 17 | KJV & Biblical Hebrew

1

ט֤וֹב פַּ֥ת חֲרֵבָ֗ה וְשַׁלְוָ֥ה בָ֑הּ מִבַּ֥יִת מָ֝לֵ֗א זִבְחֵי רִֽיב׃

KJVBetter is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

2

עֶ֣בֶד מַ֭שְׂכִּיל יִמְשֹׁ֣ל בְּבֵן מֵבִ֑ישׁ וּבְת֥וֹךְ אַ֝חִ֗ים יַחֲלֹ֥ק נַחֲלָֽה׃

KJVA wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance among brothers.

3

מַצְרֵף לַכֶּ֣סֶף וְכ֣וּר לַזָּהָ֑ב וּבֹחֵ֥ן לִ֝בּ֗וֹת יְהוָֽה׃

KJVThe fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.

The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.

4

מֵ֭רַע מַקְשִׁ֣יב עַל שְׂפַת אָ֑וֶן שֶׁ֝֗קֶר מֵזִ֥ין עַל לְשׁוֹן הַוּֽוֹת׃

KJVA wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

5

לֹעֵ֣ג לָ֭רָשׁ חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ שָׂמֵ֥חַ לְ֝אֵיד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃

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

Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

6

עֲטֶ֣רֶת זְ֭קֵנִים בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְתִפְאֶ֥רֶת בָּ֝נִ֗ים אֲבוֹתָֽם׃

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

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

7

לֹ֣א נָ֭אוָה לְנָבָ֣ל שְׂפַת יֶ֑תֶר אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי לְנָדִ֥יב שְׂפַת שָֽׁקֶר׃

KJVExcellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.

8

אֶ֣בֶן חֵ֭ן הַשֹּׁ֣חַד בְּעֵינֵ֣י בְעָלָ֑יו אֶֽל כָּל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִ֝פְנֶ֗ה יַשְׂכִּֽיל׃

KJVA gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.

9

מְ֭כַסֶּה פֶּ֣שַׁע מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה וְשֹׁנֶ֥ה בְ֝דָבָ֗ר מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃

KJVHe that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

10

תֵּרַ֣ע גְּ֭עָרָה בְּמֵבִ֑ין מֵהַכּ֥וֹת כְּ֝סִ֗יל מֵאָֽה׃

KJVA reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.

A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.

11

אַ֭ךְ מְרִ֣י יְבַקֶּשׁ רָ֑ע וּמַלְאָ֥ךְ אַ֝כְזָרִ֗י יְשֻׁלַּח בּֽוֹ׃

KJVAn evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12

פְּגֹ֤ושׁ דֹּ֣ב שַׁכּ֣וּל בְּאִ֑ישׁ וְאַל כְּ֝סִ֗יל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

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

Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly.

13

מֵשִׁ֣יב רָ֭עָה תַּ֣חַת טוֹבָ֑ה לֹֽא תָמ֥וּשׁ רָ֝עָ֗ה מִבֵּיתֽוֹ׃

KJVWhoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.

14

רֹ֣אשִׁ֭ית מָד֣וֹן פּוֹטֵ֣ר מָ֑יִם וְלִפְנֵ֥י הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע הָרִ֥יב נְטֽוֹשׁ׃

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

The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

15

מַצְדִּ֣יק רָ֭שָׁע וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ צַדִּ֑יק תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

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

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.

16

לָ֣מָּה זֶּ֭ה מְחִ֣יר בְּיַד כְּסִ֑יל לִקְנ֥וֹת חָ֝כְמָ֗ה וְלֶב אָֽיִן׃

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

Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?

17

בְּכָל עֵ֭ת אֹהֵ֣ב הָרֵ֑עַ וְאָ֥ח לְ֝צָרָ֗ה יִוָּלֵֽד׃

KJVA friend loveth 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

אָדָ֣ם חֲסַר לֵ֭ב תּוֹקֵ֣עַ כָּ֑ף עֹרֵ֥ב עֲרֻבָּ֗ה לִפְנֵ֥י רֵעֵֽהוּ׃

KJVA man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

19

אֹהֵ֣ב פֶּ֭שַׁע אֹהֵ֣ב מַצָּ֑ה מַגְבִּ֥יהַ פִּ֝תְח֗וֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ שָֽׁבֶר׃

KJVHe loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.

20

עִקֶּשׁ לֵ֭ב לֹ֣א יִמְצָא טּ֑וֹב וְנֶהְפָּ֥ךְ בִּ֝לְשׁוֹנ֗וֹ יִפּ֥וֹל בְּרָעָֽה׃

KJVHe that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.

21

יֹלֵ֣ד כְּ֭סִיל לְתוּגָ֣ה ל֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח אֲבִ֣י נָבָֽל׃

KJVHe that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.

He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy.

22

לֵ֣ב שָׂ֭מֵחַ יֵיטִ֣ב גֵּהָ֑ה וְר֥וּחַ נְ֝כֵאָ֗ה תְּיַבֶּשׁ גָּֽרֶם׃

KJVA merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

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

23

שֹׁ֣חַד מֵ֭חֵיק רָשָׁ֣ע יִקָּ֑ח לְהַטּ֥וֹת אָ֝רְח֗וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

KJVA wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.

24

אֶת פְּנֵ֣י מֵבִ֣ין חָכְמָ֑ה וְעֵינֵ֥י כְ֝סִ֗יל בִּקְצֵה אָֽרֶץ׃

KJVWisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in 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.

25

כַּ֭עַס לְאָבִ֣יו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וּמֶ֥מֶר לְ֝יֹולַדְתּֽוֹ׃

KJVA foolish son is 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 bore him.

26

גַּ֤ם עֲנ֣וֹשׁ לַצַּדִּ֣יק לֹא טּ֑וֹב לְהַכּ֥וֹת נְ֝דִיבִ֗ים עַל יֹֽשֶׁר׃

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

To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

27

חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ אֲ֭מָרָיו יוֹדֵ֣עַ דָּ֑עַת וְקַר ר֝֗וּחַ אִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה׃

KJVHe that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

28

גַּ֤ם אֱוִ֣יל מַחֲרִ֣ישׁ חָכָ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב אֹטֵ֥ם שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו נָבֽוֹן׃

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

Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Proverbs — Chapter 17