Proverbs 17 — Peace, friendship, justice, and restrained speech — Hebrew and Greek compared

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:1

Better a dry morsel with quiet in it

than a house full of sacrifices with strife.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:1

Better a morsel with pleasure in peace

than a house full of many good things and unjust sacrifices with battle.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:2

A prudent servant rules over a son who brings shame,

and shares an inheritance among brothers.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:2

An intelligent household servant will rule foolish masters,

and divide portions among brothers.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:3

A crucible is for silver and a furnace for gold,

but YHWH tests hearts.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:3

As silver and gold are tested in a furnace,

so hearts are chosen before the Lord.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:4

An evildoer listens to a lip of wrongdoing;

a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:4

An evil person heeds the tongue of lawless people,

but a righteous person pays no attention to lying lips.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:5

One who mocks the poor insults his Maker;

one who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:5

One 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.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:6

The crown of elders is children's children,

and the splendor of children is their fathers.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:6

The crown of elders is children's children,

and the boast of children is their fathers.

Hebrew–English (H)

H —

[No corresponding text in the displayed Hebrew main text.]

Greek–English (G)

G 17:6a

The whole world of possessions belongs to the faithful person,

but not even an obol belongs to the unfaithful.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:7

Excellent speech does not suit a fool,

still less a lying lip a noble person.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:7

Faithful lips will not suit a fool,

nor lying lips a righteous person.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:8

A bribe is a stone of favor in the eyes of its possessor;

wherever it turns, it prospers.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:8

Discipline is a reward of favors to those who use it,

and wherever it turns, it will prosper.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:9

One who covers a transgression seeks love,

but one who repeats a matter separates a close companion.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:9

One who hides wrongdoings seeks friendship,

but one who hates hiding them separates friends and household members.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:10

A rebuke goes deeper into one who understands

than striking a fool a hundred times.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:10

A threat crushes an intelligent person's heart,

but a fool, though whipped, does not perceive.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:11

An evil person seeks only rebellion,

and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:11

Every evil person raises disputes,

but the Lord will send a merciless messenger to him.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:12

Let a bereaved bear meet a man,

rather than a fool in his folly.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:12

Concern will fall upon an intelligent man,

but fools will deliberate evil things.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:13

One who returns evil in place of good—

evil will not depart from his house.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:13

One who repays evil things instead of good things—

evils will not move from his house.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:14

The beginning of dispute is letting water loose;

so abandon strife before it breaks out.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:14

The beginning of righteousness gives authority to words,

but faction and battle lead the way to want.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:15

One who declares the wicked righteous and one who declares the righteous wicked—

both of them are an abomination to YHWH.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:15

One who judges the unjust righteous and the righteous unjust

is unclean and detestable before God.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:16

Why is there a price in the hand of a fool

to acquire wisdom, when there is no heart?

Greek–English (G)

G 17:16

Why did possessions come to a fool?

For one lacking heart will not be able to acquire wisdom.

Hebrew–English (H)

H —

[No separate Hebrew entry here; partial counterparts at H 17:19–20.]

Greek–English (G)

G 17:16a

One who makes his own house high seeks ruin,

and one who turns crookedly away from learning will fall into evils.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:17

At every time a friend loves,

and a brother is born for distress.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:17

Let a friend be yours at every time,

and let brothers be useful in necessities;

for this is why they are born.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:18

A person lacking heart strikes a palm,

guaranteeing a pledge before his neighbor.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:18

A foolish man claps and rejoices over himself,

as does one who guarantees his own friend with a pledge.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:19

One who loves strife loves transgression;

one who makes his doorway high seeks breaking.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:19

One who loves sin rejoices in battles,

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:20

One crooked of heart will find no good,

and one who twists his tongue falls into evil.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:20

but one hard of heart does not meet good things.

A man changeable in tongue will fall into evils,

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:21

One who fathers a fool has grief,

and the father of a senseless person does not rejoice.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:21

and 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.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:22

A joyful heart makes healing good,

but a stricken spirit dries the bones.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:22

A rejoicing heart makes one flourish,

but a sorrowful man's bones dry up.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:23

The wicked takes a bribe from the fold of a garment,

to bend the paths of justice.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:23

The ways of one taking gifts unjustly in his lap do not prosper,

and an impious person bends the ways of righteousness.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:24

Wisdom is before the face of one who understands,

but the eyes of a fool are at the end of the earth.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:24

An understanding face belongs to a wise man,

but the fool's eyes are upon the extremities of the earth.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:25

A foolish son is vexation to his father,

and bitterness to the one who bore him.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:25

A foolish son is anger to a father,

and pain to the one who bore him.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:26

To fine the righteous is surely not good,

nor to strike nobles for uprightness.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:26

To penalize a righteous man is not good,

nor is it holy to plot against righteous rulers.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:27

One who restrains his sayings knows knowledge,

and a person of understanding is cool of spirit.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:27

One who refrains from sending forth a harsh word is discerning,

and a patient man is intelligent.

Hebrew–English (H)

H 17:28

Even a fool who keeps silent is counted wise;

one who shuts his lips is counted understanding.

Greek–English (G)

G 17:28

Wisdom will be reckoned to a senseless person who asks for wisdom,

and someone who makes himself mute will seem intelligent.