Proverbs 17

Berean Standard Bible

Chapter summary

Proverbs 17 presents a collection of sayings contrasting the behaviors, traits, and fates of the wise, the foolish, the righteous, and the wicked. The text addresses various social and relational dynamics, noting that grandchildren are the crown of the aged and that a friend loves at all times. It mentions specific actions such as giving and receiving bribes, concealing or bringing up offenses, and starting quarrels. The chapter also references the testing of hearts by the Lord, the consequences of mocking the poor or returning evil for good, and the outcomes associated with speech, silence, and the conduct of rulers and servants.

Summary automatically generated from the Bible text.

Words of Jesus in red

¹Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife. ²A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers. ³A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts. ⁴A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue. ⁵He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished. ⁶Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father. ⁷Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler! ⁸A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds. ⁹Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends. ¹⁰A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool. ¹¹An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him. ¹²It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly. ¹³If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house. ¹⁴To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out. ¹⁵Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD. ¹⁶Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom? ¹⁷A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. ¹⁸A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor. ¹⁹He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction. ²⁰The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble. ²¹A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy. ²²A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. ²³A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice. ²⁴Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth. ²⁵A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. ²⁶It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty. ²⁷A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit. ²⁸Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.