Through My Bible Yr 03 – October 06

Proverbs 17

¹ Better a piece of dry bread with peace
than a house full of feasting with quarreling.
² A wise slave will rule over a shameful son.
He will share the inheritance with the brothers.
³ There is a crucible for refining silver and a smelter for gold.
In the same way the Lord examines hearts.
⁴ An evildoer pays attention to wicked lips.
A liar feeds upon ^[1] a destructive tongue.
⁵ Whoever mocks a poor person insults his Maker.
A person who rejoices over calamity will not escape.
⁶ Grandchildren are a crown for the elderly,
and parents are a source of pride for their children.

⁷ Eloquent lips are ^[2] not fitting for a fool.
How much less lying lips for a ruler!
⁸ A bribe works like a charm for the person who gives it.
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
⁹ A person who covers an offense pursues love,
but one who repeats the matter separates friends.
¹⁰ A reprimand impresses a discerning person
    more than receiving a hundred lashes impresses a fool.
¹¹ An evil person promotes only rebellion,
and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹² Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
    than to meet a fool in his stupidity.
¹³ A person who repays evil for good—
evil will never leave his house.
¹⁴ Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate,
so stop the dispute before it gets started.
¹⁵ Acquitting a guilty person
and convicting an innocent person—
both of these are disgusting ^[3] to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why hand a fool money to buy wisdom,
since he has no aptitude for using it?
¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of trouble.
¹⁸ A person without sense shakes hands
    to guarantee a loan for his neighbor.
¹⁹ A person who loves sin loves conflict.
A person who builds his gate high invites destruction.
²⁰ A crooked mind does not find good.
A perverted tongue will fall into disaster.
²¹ The man who fathers a fool has grief,
and the father of an arrogant fool will have no joy.
²² A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
²³ A wicked person secretly accepts a bribe
to pervert the ways of justice.
²⁴ Wisdom is right in front of a discerning person,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the end of the earth.

²⁵ A foolish son is an aggravation to his father
and bitterness to the woman who bore him.
²⁶ It is not good to impose a fine on a righteous person
nor to flog officials because of their uprightness.
²⁷ A person with knowledge restrains his words.
A person with understanding is even-tempered.
²⁸ Even a stubborn fool who keeps silent will be considered wise.
He is considered to be perceptive if he keeps his lips shut.

Proverbs 18

¹ A person who is a loner seeks his own desires.
He fights against all sound judgment.
² A fool finds no pleasure in understanding,
but only in revealing his own opinions.
³ When a wicked person comes, contempt comes with him,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
⁴ The words from a man’s mouth are deep waters.
The fountain of wisdom is a flowing stream.
⁵ It is not good to show favoritism to a wicked person
    in order to deprive a righteous person of justice.
⁶ A fool’s lips enter a fight,
and his mouth invites a beating.
⁷ A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
and his lips are a trap for his soul. ^[4]
8 The words of a gossip are like delicious food.
People gobble them right down. ^[5]
9 A person who fails to do his work
    is a brother to a vandal.
¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a strong tower.
A righteous person runs inside and is protected.
¹¹ A rich person’s wealth is his strong city.
In his imagination it is like a high wall.
¹² Before destruction a man’s heart is proud,
but humility comes before honor.
¹³ If a person answers before he listens,
that is foolishness that brings disgrace.
¹⁴ A man’s spirit can endure illness,
but who can bear a broken spirit?
¹⁵ A discerning heart acquires knowledge,
and the ears of the wise seek knowledge.
¹⁶ A person’s gift opens doors ^[6] for him.
It leads him into the presence of great people.
¹⁷ The first person to state his case appears to be right.
Then his neighbor comes and cross-examines him.
¹⁸ Casting lots ^[7] ends disputes and decides between powerful people.
¹⁹ A brother who has been wronged is harder to regain than a strong city,
and disputes are like a bar across the gate of a citadel.
²⁰ From the fruit of a man’s mouth, his stomach is satisfied.
He is satisfied with the harvest of his lips.
²¹ Life and death lie in the power of a tongue,
and those who love to use it will eat its fruit.
²² The man who finds a wife finds a good thing,
and he obtains favor from the Lord.
²³ A poor man pleads for mercy,
but a rich man answers harshly.
²⁴ A man with many acquaintances may suffer harm,
but there is a loving friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Footnotes

1. Proverbs 17:4 Hebrew variant listens to
2. Proverbs 17:7 Or excessive chatter is
3. Proverbs 17:15 Or repulsive
4. Proverbs 18:7 Or his life
5. Proverbs 18:8 Literally they go down to the rooms of the belly
6. Proverbs 18:16 Or makes room
7. Proverbs 18:18 This probably does not refer to the Urim and Thummim but to ordinary ways of making a choice, like a coin toss.