משלי יז

Better a dry crust with peace
Than a house full of feasting with strife.

A capable servant will dominate an incompetent son
And share the inheritance with the brothers.

For silver—the crucible,
For gold—the furnace,
And GOD tests the mind.

An evildoer listens to mischievous talk;
A liar gives ear to malicious words.

One who mocks the poor affronts their Maker;
One who rejoices over another’s misfortune will not go unpunished.

Grandchildren are the crown of their elders,
And the glory of children is their parents.

Lofty words are not fitting for a villain,
Much less lying words for a noble.

A bribe seems like a charm to its user;
It brings success at every turn.

One who seeks love overlooks faults,
But one who harps on a matter alienates friends.

A rebuke works on an intelligent person
More than one hundred blows on a fool.

Evildoers seek only to rebel;
A ruthless messenger will be sent against them.

Sooner meet a bereaved she-bear
Than a fool immersed in nonsense.

Evil will never depart from the house
Of one who repays good with evil.

To start a quarrel is to open a sluice;
Before a dispute flares up, drop it.

To acquit the guilty and convict the innocent—
Both are an abomination to GOD.

What good is money in the hand of a fool
To purchase wisdom, when that person has no mind?

A friend is devoted at all times;
A sibling is born to share adversity.

Devoid of sense are the people who give their hand
To stand surety for their fellows.

One who loves transgression loves strife;
One who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.

Crooked minds come to no good,
And the double-tongued fall into trouble.

One begets a dullard to one’s own grief;
The father of a villain has no joy.

A joyful heart makes for good health;
Despondency dries up the bones.

The wicked draw bribes out of their bosom
To pervert the course of justice.

Wisdom lies before the intelligent;
The eyes of dullards range to the ends of the earth.

A stupid son is vexation for his father
And a heartache for the woman who bore him.

To punish an innocent is surely not right,
Or to flog the great for their uprightness.

One who is knowledgeable is sparing with words;
A man of understanding is reticent.

Even fools who keep silent are deemed wise;
Intelligent, while their mouth is shut.