Proverbs 17:1-15

17:1 Better a dry crust with peace
than a house full of feasting with strife.

2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and share an inheritance among brothers.

3 A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,
and the Lord is the tester of hearts.

4 A wicked person listens to malicious talk;[Lit to lips of iniquity]
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,
and one who rejoices over calamity
will not go unpunished.

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,
and the pride of children is their fathers.

7 Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;
how much worse are lies for a ruler.

8 A bribe seems like a magic stone to its owner;
wherever he turns, he succeeds.

9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,
but whoever gossips about it separates friends.

10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

11 An evil person desires only rebellion;
a cruel messenger[Or a merciless angel] will be sent against him.

12 Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool in his foolishness.

13 If anyone returns evil for good,
evil will never depart from his house.

14 To start a conflict is to release a flood;
stop the dispute before it breaks out.

15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just—
both are detestable to the Lord.

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