Proverbs 17
A Merry Heart Does Good Like Medicine
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17:1Better a morsel with pleasure in peace
than a house full of many good things and unjust sacrifices with battle.
17:2An intelligent household servant will rule foolish masters,
and divide portions among brothers.
17:3As silver and gold are tested in a furnace,
so hearts are chosen before the Lord.
17:4An evil person heeds the tongue of lawless people,
but a righteous person pays no attention to lying lips.
17:5One who laughs at the poor provokes the One who made him,
and one who rejoices over someone perishing will not be acquitted;
but one who has compassion will receive mercy.
17:6The crown of elders is children’s children,
and the boast of children is their fathers.
17:6aThe whole world of possessions belongs to the faithful person,
but not even an obol belongs to the unfaithful.
17:7Faithful lips will not suit a fool,
nor lying lips a righteous person.
17:8Discipline is a reward of favors to those who use it,
and wherever it turns, it will prosper.
17:9One who hides wrongdoings seeks friendship,
but one who hates hiding them separates friends and household members.
17:10A threat crushes an intelligent person’s heart,
but a fool, though whipped, does not perceive.
17:11Every evil person raises disputes,
but the Lord will send a merciless messenger to him.
17:12Concern will fall upon an intelligent man,
but fools will deliberate evil things.
17:13One who repays evil things instead of good things—
evils will not move from his house.
17:14The beginning of righteousness gives authority to words,
but faction and battle lead the way to want.
17:15One who judges the unjust righteous and the righteous unjust
is unclean and detestable before God.
17:16Why did possessions come to a fool?
For one lacking heart will not be able to acquire wisdom.
17:16aOne who makes his own house high seeks ruin,
and one who turns crookedly away from learning will fall into evils.
17:17Let a friend be yours at every time,
and let brothers be useful in necessities;
for this is why they are born.
17:18A foolish man claps and rejoices over himself,
as does one who guarantees his own friend with a pledge.
17:19One who loves sin rejoices in battles,
17:20but one hard of heart does not meet good things.
A man changeable in tongue will fall into evils,
17:21and a fool’s heart is pain to the one who possesses it.
A father does not rejoice over an uneducated son,
but an intelligent son gladdens his mother.
17:22A rejoicing heart makes one flourish,
but a sorrowful man’s bones dry up.
17:23The ways of one taking gifts unjustly in his lap do not prosper,
and an impious person bends the ways of righteousness.
17:24An understanding face belongs to a wise man,
but the fool’s eyes are upon the extremities of the earth.
17:25A foolish son is anger to a father,
and pain to the one who bore him.
17:26To penalize a righteous man is not good,
nor is it holy to plot against righteous rulers.
17:27One who refrains from sending forth a harsh word is discerning,
and a patient man is intelligent.
17:28Wisdom will be reckoned to a senseless person who asks for wisdom,
and someone who makes himself mute will seem intelligent.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.