Proverbs 17

tov pat kharevah veshalvah-vah mibbayit male zivkhe-riv

Better a dry crust with peace Than a house full of feasting with strife.

eved-maskil yimshol beven mevish uvetokh akhim yakhaloq nakhalah

A capable servant will dominate an incompetent son And share the inheritance with the brothers.

matsref lakkesef vekhur lazzahav uvokhen libbot Adonai

For silver—the crucible, For gold—the furnace, And GOD tests the mind.

mera maqshiv al-sefat-aven sheqer mezin al-leshon havvot

An evildoer listens to mischievous talk; A liar gives ear to malicious words.

lo'eg larash kheref osehu sameakh le'ed lo yinnaqeh

One who mocks the poor affronts their Maker; One who rejoices over another’s misfortune will not go unpunished.

ateret zeqenim bene vanim vetiferet banim avotam

Grandchildren are the crown of their elders, And the glory of children is their parents.

lo-navah lenaval sefat-yeter af ki-lenadiv sefat-shaqer

Lofty words are not fitting for a villain, Much less lying words for a noble.

even-khen hashokhad be'ene ve'alayw el-kol-asher yifneh yaskil

A bribe seems like a charm to its user; It brings success at every turn.

mekhasseh-ppesha mevaqqesh ahavah veshoneh vedavar mafrid alluf

One who seeks love overlooks faults, But one who harps on a matter alienates friends.

tekhat ge'arah vemevin mehakkot kesil me'ah

A rebuke works on an intelligent person More than one hundred blows on a fool.

akh-meri yevaqqesh-ra umalakh akhzari yeshullakh-bo

Evildoers seek only to rebel; A ruthless messenger will be sent against them.

pagosh dov shakkul be'ish ve'al-kesil be'ivvalto

Sooner meet a bereaved she-bear Than a fool immersed in nonsense.

meshiv ra'ah takhat tovah lo-[tamush] (tmysh) ra'ah mibbeto

Evil will never depart from the house Of one who repays good with evil.

poter mayim reshit madon velifne hitgalla hariv netosh

To start a quarrel is to open a sluice; Before a dispute flares up, drop it.

matsdiq rasha umarshia tsaddiq to'avat Adonai gam-shenehem

To acquit the guilty and convict the innocent— Both are an abomination to GOD.

lammah-zzeh mekhir beyad-kesil liqnot khokhmah velev-ayin

What good is money in the hand of a fool To purchase wisdom, when that person has no mind?

bekhol-et ohev harea ve'akh letsarah yivvaled

A friend is devoted at all times; A sibling is born to share adversity.

adam khasar-lev toqea kaf orev arubbah lifne re'ehu

Devoid of sense are the people who give their hand To stand surety for their fellows.

ohev pesha ohev matsa magbiah pitkho mevaqqesh-shaver

One who loves transgression loves strife; One who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.

iqqesh-lev lo yimtsa-tov venehpakh bilshono yippol bera'ah

Crooked minds come to no good, And the double-tongued fall into trouble.

yoled kesil letugah lo velo-yismakh avi naval

One begets a dullard to one’s own grief; The father of a villain has no joy.

lev sameakh yetiv gehah veruakh nekhe'ah teyabbesh-garem

A joyful heart makes for good health; Despondency dries up the bones.

shokhad mekheq rasha yiqqakh lehattot orkhot mishpat

The wicked draw bribes out of their bosom To pervert the course of justice.

et-pene mevin khokhmah ve'ene khesil biqtseh-arets

Wisdom lies before the intelligent; The eyes of dullards range to the ends of the earth.

ka'as le'aviv ben kesil umemer leyoladto

A stupid son is vexation for his father And a heartache for the woman who bore him.

gam anosh latsaddiq lo-tov lehakkot nedivim al-yosher

To punish an innocent is surely not right, Or to flog the great for their uprightness.

khosekh amarayw yodea da'at (vqr) [yeqar-]ruakh ish tevunah

One who is knowledgeable is sparing with words; A man of understanding is reticent.

gam evil makharish khakham yekhashev otem sefatayw navon

Even fools who keep silent are deemed wise; Intelligent, while their mouth is shut.