Proverbs 17 מִשְׁלֵי פרק י״ז

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Proverbs 17 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   טוֹבgoodפַּתa morsel ofחֲרֵבָהdryוְשַׁלְוָה־בָהּand quietness in herמִבַּיִתfrom the houseמָלֵאfull ofזִבְחֵי־רִיב׃sacrifices of contention

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

2. 2

   עֶבֶד־מַשְׂכִּילa wise servantיִמְשֹׁלhe shall reignבְּבֵןover a sonמֵבִישׁwho causes shameוּבְתוֹךְand withinאַחִיםbrothersיַחֲלֹקhe shall divideנַחֲלָה׃inheritance

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

3. 3

   מַצְרֵףa crucibleלַכֶּסֶףof the silverוְכוּרand a smelting furnaceלַזָּהָבto the goldוּבֹחֵןand who testsלִבּוֹתthe hearts ofיְהֹוָה׃the LORD

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

4. 4

   מֵרַעan evil doerמַקְשִׁיבgives heedעַל־שְׂפַת־אָוֶןto the lips of iniquityשֶׁקֶרa liarמֵזִיןgives earעַל־לְשׁוֹןupon the language ofהַוֺּת׃mischievous

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

5. 5

   לֹעֵגone who mocksלָרָשׁthe poor personחֵרֵףhe has reviledעֹשֵׂהוּhis makerשָׂמֵחַhappyלְאֵידfor calamityלֹאnotיִנָּקֶה׃he will go unpunished

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

6. 6

   עֲטֶרֶתcrown ofזְקֵנִיםeldersבְּנֵיthe sons ofבָנִיםsonsוְתִפְאֶרֶתand splendorבָּנִיםsonsאֲבוֹתָם׃their fathers

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

7. 7

   לֹא־נָאוָהnot is fittingלְנָבָלto a foolשְׂפַת־יֶתֶרexcellent speechאַףmoreoverכִּי־לְנָדִיבbecause for a noble personשְׂפַת־שָׁקֶר׃the lip of lying

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

8. 8

   אֶבֶן־חֵןa precious stoneהַשֹּׁחַדthe bribeבְּעֵינֵיin the eyes ofבְעָלָיוits ownersאֶל־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁרto all thatיִפְנֶהit will turn awayיַשְׂכִּיל׃it prospers

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

9. 9

   מְכַסֶּה־פֶּשַׁעone who conceals the transgression ofמְבַקֵּשׁseeksאַהֲבָהloveוְשֹׁנֶהand one who repeatsבְדָבָרa matterמַפְרִידis separatingאַלּוּף׃friends

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

10. 10

    תֵּחַתenters moreגְּעָרָהa rebukeבְמֵבִיןin one who understandsמֵהַכּוֹתthan smitingכְּסִילa foolמֵאָה׃a hundred

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

11. 11

    אַךְ־מְרִיonly rebellionיְבַקֶּשׁ־רָעan evil man seeksוּמַלְאָךְand a messengerאַכְזָרִיcruelיְשֻׁלַּח־בּוֹ׃he will be sent against him

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

12. 12

    פָּגוֹשׁmay he meetדֹּבa bearשַׁכּוּלrobbed of cubsבְּאִישׁa manוְאַל־כְּסִילand not a foolבְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ׃in his foolishness

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

13. 13

    מֵשִׁיבhe who rewardsרָעָהevilתַּחַתunderטוֹבָהgoodלֹא־[תָמוּשׁ]not it will be removedרָעָהevilמִבֵּיתוֹ׃from his house

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

14. 14

    פּוֹטֵרis one who lets outמַיִםwaterרֵאשִׁיתthe beginning ofמָדוֹןstrifeוְלִפְנֵיand beforeהִתְגַּלַּעit has broken outהָרִיבthe contentionנְטוֹשׁ׃abandon

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

15. 15

    מַצְדִּיקone who justifiesרָשָׁעwickedוּמַרְשִׁיעַand one who condemns as guiltyצַדִּיקrighteousתּוֹעֲבַתan abomination beforeיְהֹוָהthe LORDגַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶם׃also the two

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

16. 16

    לָמָּה־זֶּהwhy thisמְחִירpriceבְּיַד־כְּסִילin the hand of a foolלִקְנוֹתto getחׇכְמָהwisdomוְלֶב־אָיִן׃and he has no heart

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

17. 17

    בְּכׇל־עֵתin all timeאֹהֵבlovesהָרֵעַthe friendוְאָחand a brotherלְצָרָהto afflictionיִוָּלֵד׃he shall be born

    A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

18. 18

    אָדָםmanחֲסַר־לֵבlacking senseתּוֹקֵעַis strikingכָּףa palmעֹרֵבbecoming suretyעֲרֻבָּהa pledgeלִפְנֵיbeforeרֵעֵהוּ׃his neighbor

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

19. 19

    אֹהֵבlovesפֶּשַׁעthe transgression ofאֹהֵבlovesמַצָּהstrifeמַגְבִּיהַּone who makes highפִּתְחוֹhis entranceמְבַקֶּשׁ־שָׁבֶר׃seeks destruction

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

20. 20

    עִקֶּשׁ־לֵבa person twisted of heartלֹאnotיִמְצָא־טוֹבshall find goodוְנֶהְפָּךְand one who is pervertedבִּלְשׁוֹנוֹwith his tongueיִפּוֹלshall fallבְּרָעָה׃in evil

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

21. 21

    יֹלֵדone who begetsכְּסִילa foolלְתוּגָהto griefלוֹto himוְלֹא־יִשְׂמַחand not rejoicesאֲבִיthe father ofנָבָל׃fool

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

22. 22

    לֵבheartשָׂמֵחַhappyיֵיטִיבdoes goodגֵּהָהlike a medicineוְרוּחַand spirit ofנְכֵאָהis strickenתְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּרֶם׃it dries up bone

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

23. 23

    שֹׁחַדa bribeמֵחֵקfrom the bosom ofרָשָׁעwickedיִקָּחhe will takeלְהַטּוֹתto persuadeאׇרְחוֹתthe paths ofמִשְׁפָּט׃judgment

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

24. 24

    אֶת־פְּנֵיbeforeמֵבִיןwho understandחׇכְמָהwisdomוְעֵינֵיand the eyes ofכְסִילof a foolבִּקְצֵה־אָרֶץ׃in the ends of the earth

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

25. 25

    כַּעַסangerלְאָבִיוunto his fatherבֵּןa sonכְּסִילfoolishוּמֶמֶרand bitternessלְיוֹלַדְתּוֹ׃to the one who bore him

    A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

26. 26

    גַּםalsoעֲנוֹשׁto punishלַצַּדִּיקunto the righteousלֹא־טוֹבnot goodלְהַכּוֹתto smiteנְדִיבִיםthe noblesעַל־יֹשֶׁר׃upon uprightness

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

27. 27

    חוֹשֵׂךְone who restrainsאֲמָרָיוhis wordsיוֹדֵעַknowsדָּעַתknowledge(וקר)[יְקַר־]רוּחַof an excellent spiritאִישׁa manתְּבוּנָה׃understanding

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

28. 28

    גַּםalsoאֱוִילfoolמַחֲרִישׁbeing silentחָכָםwiseיֵחָשֵׁבis countedאֹטֵםwho shutsשְׂפָתָיוhis lipsנָבוֹן׃discerning

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